UC-NRLF 


SbE 


TOM 

SWIFT 

AND  HIS 

GREAT  SEARCH 
LIGHT 


VICTOR 
APPLETON 


v/v  - 


CURRICULUM  SECTION 
EDUCATION  LIBRARY 


NOV  6 .   1952 

ItY  OF  CALIFORNIA 


"CLIMB  :UPl     CLIMB   UP!"  YELLED  TOM,  THROUGH 

THE  MEGAPHONE.— Pag*  137 
T0m  Stvift  and  His  Great  Searchlight 


TOM  SWIFT  AND   HIS 
GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

OR 
On  the  Border  for  Uncle  Sam 


BY 
VICTOR  APPLETON 

AUTHOR  OF  "TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  MOTOR-CYCLE,"  **TOM  SWIFT  AMD 
SUBMARINE    BOAT,"      "TOM    SWIFT    AND    HIS    WIRELESS 
MESSAGE."  "TOM  SWIFT  IN  CAPTIVITY."  ETC 


ILLUSTRATED 


NEW  YORK 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP 
PUBLISHERS 


CURRICULUM  SECTION 
EDUCATION  LIBRARY 

MOV/    fi         195? 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 


BOOKS  BY  VICTOR  APPLETON 
THE  TOM  SWIFT  SERIES 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  MOTOR-CYCLE 

Or  Fun  and  Adventures  on  the  Road 
TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  MOTOR-BOAT 

Or  The  Rivals  of  Lake  Carlopa 
TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  AIRSHIP 

Or  the  Stirring  Cruise  of  the  Red  Cloud 
TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

Or  Under  the  Ocean  for  Sunken  Treasure 
TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  ELECTRIC  RUNABOUT 

Or  the  Speediest  Car  on  the  Road 
TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  WIRELESS  MESSAGE 

Or  the  Castaways  of  Earthquake  Island 
TOM  SWIFT  AMONG  THE  DIAMOND  MAKERS 

Or  the  Secret  of  Phantom  Mountain 
TOM  SWIFT  IN  THE  CAVES  OF  ICE 

Or  the  Wreck  of  the  Airship 
TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SKY  RACER 

Or  The  Quickest  Flight  on  Record 
TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  ELECTRIC  RIFLE 

Or  Daring  Adventures  in  Elephant  Land 
TOM  SWIFT  IN  THE  CITY  OF  GOLD 

Or  Marvelous  Adventures  Underground 
TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  AIR  GLIDER 

Or  Seeking  the  Platinum  Treasure 
TOM  SWIFT  IN  CAPTIVITY 

Or  A  Daring  Escape  by  Airship 
TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  WIZARD  CAMERA 

OrThrilling  Adventures  While  Taking  MovingPicture* 
TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

Or  On  the  Border  for  Uncle  Sam 

12mo.      Cloth    Illustrated. 


GROSSET  &  DUNLAP 
PUBLISHERS  NEW  YORK 

COPYRIGHT,  1912  BY 
GROSSET  &  DUNLAP 


Tom  S-wtft  and  Hts  Great  Searchlight 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER 

I    A  SCRAP  OF  PAPER X 

II    A  SPY  IN  TOWN ia 

III  QUEER   REPAIRS 23 

IV  SEARCHING  FOR  SMUGGLERS 31 

V    THE   RAID 41 

VI    THE  APPEAL  TO  TOM 5C 

VII    A  SEARCHLIGHT  is  NEEDED 57 

VIII    TOM'S  NEWEST  INVENTION 67 

IX    "BEWARE  OF  THE  COMET  !" 74 

X    OFF  FOR  THE  BORDER 87 

XI    ANDY'S  NEW  AIRSHIP 95 

XII    WARNED  AWAY 107 

XIII  KOKU  SAVES  THE  LIGHT 115 

XIV  A  FALSE  CLEW 121 

XV    THE  RESCUE  ON  THE  LAKE 132 

XVI    KOKU'S   PRISONER 138 

XVII    WHAT  THE  INDIAN  SAW 147 

XVIII    THE   PURSUIT 157 

XIX    IN  DIRE  PERIL 163 

XX    SUSPICIOUS   ACTIONS 169 

iii 


M75l?860 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

XXI    MR.  PERIOD  ARRIVES  ........................  177 

XXII    HOVERING  O'ER  THE  BORDER  .................  185 

XXIII  NED  is  MISSING  ...........................  191 

XXIV  THE  NIGHT  RACE  ..........................  196 

XXV    THE  CAPTURE—CONCLUSION..  202 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT 
SEARCHLIGHT 


CHAPTER    I 

A   SCRAP   OF    PAPER 

"ToM,  did  you  know  Andy  Foger  was  back 
In  town?" 

"Great  Scott,  no,  I  didn't  Ned!  Not  to  stay, 
I  hope." 

"I  guess  not.  The  old  Foger  homestead  is 
closed  up,  though  I  did  see  ~  man  working  around 
it  to-day  as  I  came  past.  But  he  was  a  carpenter, 
making  some  repairs  I  think.  No,  I  don't  believe 
Andy  is  here  to  stay." 

"But  if  some  one  is  fixing  up  the  house,  it 
looks  as  if  the  family  would  come  back,"  re- 
marked Tom,  as  he  thought  of  the  lad  who  had 
so  long  been  his  enemy,  and  who  had  done  him 
many  mean  turns  before  leaving  Shopton,  where 

our  hero  lived. 

* 


a        TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

"I  don't  think  so,"  was  the  opinion  of  Ned 
Newton,  who  was  Tom  Swift's  particular  chum, 
"You  know  when  Mr.  Foger  lost  all  his  money, 
the  house  was  supposed  to  be  sold.  But  I  heard 
later  that  there  was  some  flaw  in  the  title,  and  the 
sale  fell  through.  It  is  because  he  couldn't  sell 
the  place  that  Mr.  Foger  couldn't  get  money  to 
pay  some  of  his  debts.  He  has  some  claim  on 
the  house,  I  believe,  but  I  don't  believe  he'd  come 
back  to  live  in  it." 

"Why  not?" 

"Because  it's  too  expensive  a  place  for  a  poor 
man  to  keep  up,  and  Mr,  Foger  is  now  poor." 

"Yes,  he  didn't  get  any  of  the  gold,  as  we  did 
when  we  went  to  the  underground  city,"  re- 
marked Tom.  "Well,  I  don't  wish  anybody  bad 
luck  but  I  certainly  hope  the  Fogers  keep  poor 
enough  to  stay  away  from  Shopton.  They 
bothered  me  enough.  But  where  did  you  see 
Andy?" 

"Oh,  he  was  with  his  crony,  Sam  Snedeck'er. 
You  know  Sam  said,  some  time  ago,  that  Andy 
was  to  pay  him  a  visit,  but  Andy  didn't  come 
then,  for  some  reason  or  other.  I  suppose  this 
call  makes  up  for  it.  I  met  them  down  near 
Parker's  drug  store." 

"You  didn't  hear  Andy  say  anything  about 


A  SCRAP  OF  PAPER  3 

coming  back  here?"  and  the  young  inventor's 
voice  was  a  trifle  anxious. 

"No,"  replied  Ned.  "What  makes  you  so 
nervous  about  it?" 

"Well,  Ned,  you  know  what  Andy  is — always^ 
trying  to  make  trouble  for  me,  even  sneaking  in   I 
my  shop  sometimes,  trying  to  get  the  secret  oJE 
some  of  my  airships  and  machinery.    And  I  ad-  * 
mit  I  think  it  looks  suspicious  when  they  have  a 
carpenter  working  on  the  old  homestead.    Andy 
may  come  back,  and " 

"Nonsence,  Tom!  If  he  does  you  and  I  can 
handle  him.  But  I  think  perhaps  the  house  may 
be  rented,  and  they  may  be  fixing  it  up  for  a 
tenant.  It's  been  vacant  a  long  time  you  know, 
and  I  heard  the  other  day  that  it  was  haunted." 

"Haunted,  Ned!  Get  out!  Say,  you  don't  be- 
lieve in  that  sort  of  bosh,  do  you?" 

"Of  course  not.  It  was  Eradicate  who  told 
me,  and  he  said  when  he  came  past  the  place  quite 
late  the  other  night  he  heard  groans,  and  the 
clanking  of  chains  coming  from  it,  and  he  saw 
flashing  lights." 

"Oh,  wow!  Eradicate  is  getting  batty  in  hw 
old  age,  poor  fellow !  He  and  his  mule  Boomerang 
are  growing  old  together,  and  I  guess  my  colored 
helper  is  'seeing  things/  as  well  as  hearing  them. 
But,  as  you  say,  it  may  be  that  the  house  is  going 


4       TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

to  be  rented.  It's  too  valuable  a  property  to  let 
stand  idle.  Did  you  hear  how  long  Andy  was 
going  to  stay?" 

"A  week,  I  believe." 

"A  week!  Say,  one  day  would  be  enough  I 
should  think." 

"You  must  have  some  special  reason  for  being 
afraid  Andy  will  do  you  some  harm,"  exclaimed 
Ned.  "Out  with  it,  Tom." 

"Well,  I'll  tell  you  what  it  is,  Ned,"  and  Tom 
led  his  chum  inside  the  shop,  in  front  of  which 
the  two  lads  had  been  talking.  It  was  a  shop 
iwhere  the  young  inventor  constructed  many  of 
mis  marvelous  machines,  aircraft,  and  instruments 
m  various  sorts. 

"Do  you  think  some  one  may  hear  you?" 
asked  Ned. 

"They  might.  I'm  not  taking  any  chances. 
But  the  reason  I  want  to  be  especially  careful 
that  Andy  Foger  doesn't  spy  on  any  of  my  in- 
ventions is  that  at  last  I  have  perfected  my 
•  noiseless  airship  motor!" 

"You  have!"  cried  Ned,  for  he  knew  that  his 
chum  had  been  working  for  a  long  time  on  this 
motor,  that  would  give  out  no  sound,  no  matter 
at  how  high  a  speed  it  was  run.  "That's  great, 
Tom!  I  congratulate  you.  I  don't  wonder  you 
don't  want  Andy  to  get  even  a  peep  at  it." 


A  SCRAP  OF  PAPER  g 

"Especially  as  I  haven't  it  fully  patented," 
Went  on  the  young  inventor.  He  had  met  with 
many  failures  in  his  efforts  to  perfect  this  motor, 
which  he  intended  to  install  on  one  of  his  airships. 
"If  any  one  saw  the  finished  parts  now  it  wouldn't! 
take  them  long  to  find  out  the  secret  of  doing- 
away  with  the  noise." 

"How  do  you  do  it?"  asked  Ned,  for  he  real- 
ized that  his  chum  had  no  secrets  from  him. 

"Well,  it's  too  complicated  to  describe,"  said 
Tom,  "but  the  secret  lies  in  a  new  way  of  feed- 
ing gasoline  into  the  motor,  a  new  sparking  de- 
vice, and  an  improved  muffler.  I  think  I  could' 
start  my  new  airship  in  front  of  the  most  skittish  ' 
horse,  and  he  wouldn't  stir,  for  the  racket 
wouldn't  wake  a  baby.  It's  going  to  be  great." 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  with  it,  when  you 
get  it  all  completed?" 

"I  haven't  made  up  my  mind  yet.  It's  going 
to  be  some  time  before  I  get  it  all  put  together, 
and  installed,  and  in  that  time  something  may 
turn  up.  Well,  let's  talk  about  something  more 
pleasant  than  Andy  Foger.  I  guess  I  won't 
worry  about  him." 

"No,  I  wouldn't.    I'd  like  to  see  the  motor  run." 

"You  can,  in  a  day  or  so,  but  just  now  I  need 
a  certain  part  to  attach  to  the  sparker,  and  I  had 
to  send  to  town  for  it.  Koku  has  gone  after  it" 


g       TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREA T  SEARCHLIGHT 

"What,  that  big  giant  servant?  He  might 
break  it  on  the  way  back,  he's  so  strong.  He 
'doesn't  realize  how  much  muscle  he  has." 

"No,  that's  so.  Well,  while  we're  waiting  for 
him,  come  on  in  the  house,  and  I'll  show  you 
some  new  books  I  got." 

The  two  lads  were  soon  in  the  Swift  home- 
stead, a  pleasant  and  large  old-fashioned  resi- 
dence, in  the  suburbs  of  Shopton.  Tom  brought 
out  the  books,  and  he  and  his  chum  poured  over 
them. 

"Mr.  Damon  gave  me  that  one  on  electricity," 
explained  the  young  inventor,  handing  Ned  a 
bulky  volume. 

"  'Bless  my  bookmark!'  as  Mr.  Damon  him- 
self would  say  if  he  were  here,"  exclaimed  Ned 
with  a  laugh.  "That's  a  dandy.  But  Mr.  Damon 
didn't  give  you  this  one,"  and  Ned  picked  up  a 
dainty  volume  of  verse.  "  To  Tom  Swift,  with 

the  best  wishes  of  Mary '  "  but  that  was  as 

far  as  he  read,  for  Tom  grabbed  the  book  away, 
and  closed  the  cover  over  the  flyleaf,  which  bore 
some  writing  in  a  girl's  hand.  I  think  my  old 
readers  can  guess  whose  hand  it  was. 

"Wow!  Tom  Swift  reading  poetry!"  laughed 
Ned. 

"Oh,  cut  it  out,"  begged  his  chum.  "I  didn't 
Know  that  was  among  the  books.  I  got  it  lasj* 


A  SCRAP  OF  PAPER  j 

Christmas.  Now  here's  a  dandy  one  on  lion 
hunting,  Ned,"  and  to  cover  his  confusion  Tom 
shoved  over  a  book  containing  many  pictures  of 
wild  animals. 

"Lion  hunting;  eh,"  remarked  Ned.  "Well,  I 
guess  you  could  give  them  some  points  on  snap- 
ping lions  with  your  moving  picture  camera, 
Tom." 

"Yes,  I  got  some  good  views,"  admitted  the 
young  inventor  modestly.  "I  may  take  the 
camera  along  on  some  trips  in  my  noiseless  air- 
ship. Hello !  here  comes  Koku  back.  I  hope  he 
.Jot  what  I  wanted." 

A  man,  immense  in  size,  a  veritable  giant,  one 
fcf  two  whom  Tom  Swift  had  brought  away  from 
captivity  with  him,  was  entering  the  front  gate. 
He  stopped  to  speak  to  Mr.  Swift,  Tom's  father, 
who  was  setting  out  some  plants  in  a  flower  bed, 
taking  them  from  a  large  wheel  barrow  filled  with 
the  blooms. 

Mr.  Swift,  who  was  an  inventor  of  note,  had 
failed  in  his  health  of  late,  and  the  doctor  had 
recommended  him  to  be  out  of  doors  as  much 
as  possible.  He  delighted  in  gardening,  and  was 
at  it  all  day. 

"Look!"  suddenly  cried  Ned,  pointing  to  the 
giant.  Then  Tom  and  his  chum  saw  a  strange 
sight 


8        TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREA T  SEARCHLIGHT 

With  a  booming  laugh,  Koku  picked  up  Mr. 
Swift  gently  and  set  him  on  a  board  that  ex- 
tended across  the  front  part  of  the  wheel  barrow. 
Then,  as  easily  as  if  it  was  a  pound  weight,  the 
big  man  lifted  Mr.  Swift,  barrow,  plants  and  all, 
in  his  two  hands,  and  carried  them  across  the 
garden  to  another  flower  bed,  that  was  ready  to 
be  filled. 

"No  use  to  walk  when  I  can  carry  you,  Mr. 
Swift,"  exclaimed  Koku  with  a  laugh.  "I  over- 
took you  quite  nice;  so?" 

"Yes,  you  took  me  over  in  great  shape,  Koku!" 
replied  the  aged  inventor  with  a  smile  at  Koku's 
English,  for  the  giant  frequently  got  his  words 
backwards.  "That  barrow  is  quite  heavy  for  me 
to  wheel." 

"You  after  this  call  me,"  suggested  Koku. 

".Say,  but  he's  strong  all  right,"  exclaimed 
Ned,  "and  that  was  an  awkward  thing  to  carry." 

"It  sure  was,"  agreed  Tom.  "I  haven't  yet 
seen  any  one  strong  enough  to  match  Koku.  And 
he's  gentle  about  it,  too.  He's  very  fond  of  dad." 

"And  you  too,  I  guess,"  added  Ned. 

"Well,  Koku,  did  you  get  that  attachment?" 
asked  Tom,  as  his  giant  servant  entered  the  room. 

"Yes,  Mr.  Tom.  I  have  it  here,"  and  from  his 
pocket  Koku  drew  a  heavy  piece  of  steel  that 
would  have  taxed  the  strength  of  either  of  thg 


A  SCRAP  OF  PAPER  g 

boys  to  lift  with  one  hand.j  But  Koku's  pockets 
were  very  large  and  made  specially  strong  of 
leather,  for  he  was  continually  putting  odd  things 
in  them. 

Koku  handed  over  the  attachment,  for  which 
his  master  had  sent  him.  He  held  it  out  on  a 
couple  of  fingers,  as  one  might  a  penknife,  but 
Tom  took  both  hands  to  set  it  on  the  grounl. 

"I  the  female  get,  also,"  went  on  Koku,  as  he 
began  taking  some  letters  and  papers  from  his 
pocket.  "I  stop  in  the  office  post,  and  the  fe- 
male get." 

"Mail,  Koku,  not  female,"  corrected  Tom  witK 
a  laugh.  "A  female  is  a  lady  you  know/' 

"For  sure  I  know,  and  the  lady  in  the  post  of- 
fice gave  me  the  female.  That  is  I  said  what, 
didlnots?" 

"Well,  I  guess  you  meant  it  all  right,"  re- 
marked Ned.  "But  letter  mail  and  a  male  man 
and  a  female  woman  are  all  different." 

"Oh  such  a  language!"  gasped  the  giant.  "I 
shall  never  learn  it.  Well,  then,  Mr.  Tom,  here 
is  your  mail,  that  the  female  lady  gave  to  me  for 
you,  and  you  are  a  male.  It  is  very  strange." 

Koku  pulled  out  a  bundle  of  letters,  which  Torn 
took,  and  then  the  giant  continued  to  delve  for 
more.  One  of  the  papers,  rolled  in  a  wrapper, 
stuck  on  the  edge  of  the  pocket. 


10     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREA T  SEARCHLIGHT 

"You  must  outcome!"  exclaimed  Koku,  giving 
it  a  sudden  yank,  and  it  "outcame"  with  such 
suddenness  that  the  paper  was  torn  in  half,  tight- 
ly wrapped  as  it  was,  and  it  was  considerable  of  a 
bundle. 

"Koku,  you're  getting  too  strong!"  exclaimed 
Tom,  as  scraps  of  paper  were  scattered  about  the 
room.  "I  think  I'll  give  you  less  to  eat." 

"I  am  your  forgiveness,"  said  Koku  humbly, 
as  he  stooped  over  to  pick  up  the  fragments.  "I 
did  not  mean." 

"It's  all  right,"  said  Tom  kindly.  "That's 
only  a  big  bundle  of  Sunday  papers  I  guess." 

"I'll  give  him  a  hand,"  volunteered  Ned,  stoop* 
ing  over  to  help  Koku  clear  the  rug  of  the  litter. 
As  he  did  so  Tom's  chum  gave  a  gasp  of  surprise. 

"Hello,  Tom!"  Ned  cried.  "Here's  something 
new,  and  I  guess  it  will  interest  you." 

"What  is  it?" 

"It's  part  of  an  account  of  some  daring  smug- 
glers who  are  working  goods  across  the  Canadian 
border  into  the  northern  part  of  this  state.  The 
piece  is  torn,  but  there's  something  here  which 
says  the  government  agents  suspect  the  men  of 
using  airships  to  transport  the  stuff." 

"Airships!  Smugglers  using  airships!"  cried 
Tom.  "  It  doesn't  seem  possible ! " 

""That's  what  it  says  here,  Tom.     It  says  the 


A  SCRAP  OF  PAPER  Ix 

custom  house  authorities  have  tried  every  way 
to  catch  them,  and  when  tihey  couldn't  land  'em, 
the  only  theory  they  could  account  for  the  way 
the  smuggling  was  going  on  was  by  airships, 
flying  at  night." 

"That's  odd.  I  wonder  how  it  would  seem  to 
chase  a  smuggler  in  an  airship  at  night?  Some 
excitement  about  that;  eh,  Ned?  Let's  see  that 
scrap  of  paper." 

Ned  passed  it  over,  and  Tom  scanned  it  close- 
ly. Then  in  his  turn,  he  uttered  an  exclamation 
of  surprise. 

"What  is  it?"  inquired  his  chum. 

"Great  Scott,  Ned,  listen  to  this!  'It  is  sus- 
pected that  some  of  the  smugglers  have' — then 
there's  a  place  where  the  paper  is  torn — 'in  Shop- 
ton,  N.  Y.'  "  finished  Tom.  "Think  of  that,  Ned. 
Our  town  here,  is  in  some  way  connected  with  . 
the  airship  smugglers!  We  must  find  the  rest 
of  this  scrap  of  paper,  and  paste  it  together.  This 
may  be  a  big  thing!  Find  that  other  scrap! 
Koku,  you  go  easy  on  papers  next  time,"  cau- 
tioned Tom,  good  naturedly,  as  he  and  his  chum 
began  sorting  over  the  torn  parts  of  the  paper. 


CHAPTER   II 

A  SPY  IN  TOWN 

WHILE  Tom  Swift,  Ned  Newton  and  Koku, 
the  giant,  are  busy  trying  to  piece  together  the 
torn  parts  of  the  paper,  containing  an  account  of 
the  airship  smugglers,  I  will  take  the  opportunity 
of  telling  you  something  about  the  young  in- 
ventor and  his  work,  for,  though  many  of  my 
readers  have  made  Tom's  acquaintances  in  pre- 
vious books  of  this  series,  there  may  be  some 
Who  pick  up  this  one  as  their  first  volume. 

Tom  lived  with  his  father,  also  an  inventor  of 
note,  in  the  town  of  Shopton,  New  York  state. 
His  mother  was  dead,  and  a  Mrs.  Baggert  kept 
house.  Eradicate  was  an  eccentric  colored  helper, 
but  of  late  had  become  too  old  to  do  much.  Mr. 
Swift  was  also  quite  aged,  and  had  been  obliged 
to  give  up  most  of  his  inventive  work. 

Ned  Newton  was  Tom  Swift's  particular 
chum,  and  our  hero  had  another  friend,  a  Mr, 
Wakefield  Damon,  of  the  neighboring  town  of 

12 


A  SPY  IN  TOWN  I3 

Waterford.  Mr.  Damon  had  the  odd  habit  of 
blessing  everything  he  saw  or  could  think  of. 
Another  of  Tom's  friends  was  Miss  Mary  Nes- 
tor, whom  I  have  mentioned,  while  my  old 
readers  will  readily  recognize  in  Andy  Foger  a 
mean  bully,  who  made  much  trouble  for  Tom. 

The  first  book  of  the  series  was  called  "Tom 
Swift  and  His  Motor-Cycle,"  and  on  that  ma- 
chine Tom  had  many  adventures  on  the  road,  and 
not  a  little  fun.  After  that  Tom  secured  a  motor 
boat,  and  had  a  race  with  Andy  Foger.  In  his 
airship  our  hero  made  a  stirring  cruise,  while  in 
his  submarine  boat  he  and  his  father  recovered  a 
sunken  treasure. 

When  Tom  Swift  invented  a  new  electric  run- 
about he  did  not  realize  that  it  was  to  be  the 
speediest  car  on  the  road,  but  so  it  proved,  and  he 
was  able  to  save  the  bank  with  it.  In  the  book 
called  "Tom  Swift  and  His  Wireless  Message," 
I  told  you  how  he  saved  the  castaways  of  Earth- 
quake Island,  among  whom  were  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Nestor,  the  parents  of  Mary. 

Tom  Swift  had  not  been  long  on  the  trail  of  the* 
diamond  makers  before  he  discovered  the  secret 
of  Phantom  Mountain,  and  after  that  adventure 
he  went  to  the  caves  of  ice,  where  his  big  air- 
ship was  wrecked.  But  he  got  home,  and  soon 


I4     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

made  another,  which  he  called  a  sky  racer,  and  in 
that  he  made  the  quickest  flight  on  record. 

With  his  electric  rifle  Tom  went  to  elephant 
land,  where  he  succeeded  in  rescuing  two  mis- 
sionaries from  the  red  pygmies.  A  little  later 
he  set  out  for  the  city  of  gold,  and  had  mar- 
velous adventures  underground. 

Hearing  of  a  deposit  of  valuable  platinum  in 
Siberia,  Tom  started  for  that  lonely  place,  and, 
to  reach  a  certain  part  of  it,  he  had  to  invent  a 
new  machine,  called  an  air  glider.  It  was  an 
Aeroplane  without  means  of  propulsion  save  the 
wind. 

In  the  book,  "Tom  Swift  in  Captivity,"  I  re- 
lated the  particulars  of  how  he  brought  away 
„  two  immense  men  from  giant  land  One,  Koku, 
he  kept  for  himself,  while  the  other  made  a  good 
living  by  being  exhibited  in  a  circus. 

When  the  present  story  opens  Tom  had  not 
long  been  home  after  a  series  of  strange  adven- 
tures. A  moving  picture  concern,  with  which  Mr. 
Nestor  was  associated,  wanted  some  views  of  re- 
markable scenes,  such  as  fights  among  wild  beasts, 
the  capture  of  herds  of  elephants,  earthquakes, 
and  volcanos  in  action,  and  great  avalanches  in 
the  Alps.  Tom  invented  a  wizard  camera,  and 
got  many  good  views,  though  at  times  he  was  in 


'A  SPY  IN  TOWN  j j 

great  danger,  even  in  his  airship.    Especially  was 
this  so  at  the  erupting  volcano. 

But  our  hero  came  safely  back  to  Shopton,  and 
there,  all  Winter  and  Spring,  he  busied  himself 
perfecting  a  new  motor  for  an  airship — a  motor 
that  would  make  no  noise.  He  perfected  it  early 
that  Summer,  and  now  was  about  to  try  it,  when 
the  incident  of  the  torn  newspaper  happened. 

"Have  you  got  all  the  pieces,  Tom?"  asked 
Ned,  as  he  passed  his  chum  several  scraps,  which 
were  gathered  up  from  the  floor. 

"I  think  so.  Now  we'll  paste  them  together, 
and  see  what  it  says.  We  may  be  on  the  trail  of 
a  big  mystery,  Ned." 

"Maybe.  Go  ahead  and  see  what  you  can  make 
of  it." 

Tom  fitted  together,  as  best  he  could,  the 
ragged  pieces,  and  then  pasted  them  on  a  blank 
sheet  of  paper. 

"I  guess  I've  got  it  all  here  now,"  he  said  fi- 
nally. "I'll  skip  the  first  part.  You  read  me  most 
of  that,  Ned.  Just  as  you  told  me,  it  relates  how 
the  government  agents,  having  tried  in  vain  to  gel 
a  clew  to  the  smugglers,  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  they  must  be  using  airships  to  slip  contra 
band  goods  over  the  border  at  night. 

"Now  where's  that  mention  of  Shopton?  Oh, 
here  it  is,"  and  he  read: 


j6     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT] 

"  'It  is  suspected  that  some  of  the  smugglers 
have  been  communicating  with  confederates  in 
Shopton,  New  York.  This  came  to  the  notice  of 
the  authorities  to-day,  when  one  of  the  govern- 
ment agents  located  some  of  the  smuggled  goods 
in  a  small  town  in  New  York  on  the  St.  Law- 
rence. The  name  of  this  town  is  being  kept  secret 
for  the  present. 

"  'It  was  learned  that  the  goods  were  found 
in  a  small,  deserted  house,  and  that  among  them 
were  letters  from  someone  in  Shopton,  relating 
to  the  disposal  of  the  articles.  The  agents  re- 
fuse to  say  who  the  letters  were  from,  but  it  is 
believed  that  some  of  Uncle  Sam's  men  may 
shortly  make  their  apeparance  in  the  peaceful 
burg  of  Shopton,  there  to  follow  up  the  clew. 
Many  thousands  of  dollars  worth  of  goods  have 
been  smuggled,  and  the  United  States,  as  well 
as  the  Dominion  of  Canada  custom  authorities, 
say  they  are  determined  to  put  a  stop  to  the  dar- 
ing efforts  of  the  smugglers.  The  airship  theory, 
is  the  latest  put  forth/  " 

"Well,  say,  that's  the  limit!"  cried  Ned,  as  Tom 
finished  reading.  "What  do  you  know  about 
that?" 

"It  brings  it  right  home  to  us,"  agreed  the 
young  inventor.  "But  who  is  there  in  Shopton 
who  would  be  in  league  with  the  smugglers?'5 


A  SPY  IN  TOWX  if 

"That's  hard  to  say." 

"Of  course  we  don't  know  everyone  in  town," 
went  on  Tom,  "but  I'm  pretty  well  acquainted 
here,  and  I  don't  know  of  a  person  who  would 
dare  engage  in  such  work." 

"Maybe  it's  a  stranger  who  came  here,  and 
picked  out  this  place  because  it  was  so  quiet," 
suggested  Ned. 

"That's  possible.  But  where  would  he  oper- 
ate from?"  asked  Tom.  "There  are  few  in  Shop- 
ton  who  would  want  to  buy  smuggled  goods. " 

"They  may  only  ship  them  here,  and  fix  them 
so  they  can't  be  recognized  by  the  custom  au- 
thorities, and  then  send  them  away  again,"  went 
on  Ned.  "This  may  be  a  sort  of  clearing-house 
for  the  smugglers." 

"That's  so.  Well,  I  don't  know  as  we  have 
anything  to  do  with  it.  Only  if  those  fellows 
are  using  an  airship  I'd  like  to  know  what  kind 
it  is.  Well,  come  on  out  to  the  shop  now,  and 
we'll  see  how  the  silent  motor  works." 

On  the  way  Tom  passed  his  father,  and,  telling 
him  not  to  work  too  hard  in  the  sun,  gave  his 
parent  the  piece  of  paper  to  read,  telling  about 
the  smugglers. 

"Using  airships!  eh?"  exclaimed  Mr.  Swift. 
"And  they  think  there's  a  clew  here  in  Shopton? 


18     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

ell,  we'll  get  celebrated  if  we  keep  on,  Tom," 
he  added  with  a  smile. 

Tom  and  Ned  spent  the  rest  of  the  day  work- 
ing over  the  motor,  which  was  set  going,  and 
bore  out  all  Tom  claimed  for  it.  It  was  as  silent 
as  a  watch. 

"Next  I  want  to  get  it  in  the  airship,  and  give 
it  a  good  test,"  Tom  remarked,  speeding  it  up» 
as  it  was  connected  on  a  heavy  base  in  the  shop. 

"I'll  help  you,"  promised  Ned,  and  for  the 
next  few  days  the  chums  were  kept  busy  fitting 
the  silent  motor  into  one  of  Tom's  several  air- 
ships. 

"Well,  I  think  we  can  make  a  flight  to-mor- 
row," said  the  young  inventor,  about  a  week 
later.  "I  need  some  new  bolts  though,  Ned. 
Let's  take  a  walk  into  town  and  get  them.  Oh, 
by  the  way,  have  you  seen  anything  more  of 
Andy  Foger?" 

"No,  and  I  don't  want  to.  I  suppose  he's  gone 
back  home  after  his  visit  to  Sam.  Let's  go  down 
the  street,  where  the  Foger  house  is,  and  see  if 
there's  anything  going  on." 

As  the  two  lads  passed  the  mansion,  they  saw 
a  man,  in  the  kind  of  suit  usually  worn  by  a  car- 
penter, come  out  of  the  back  door,  and  stand 
looking  across  the  garden.  In  his  hand  he  held 
a  saw. 


A  SPY  IN  TOWN  19 

"Still  at  the  repairs,  I  guess,"  remarked  Ned. 
"I  wonder  what " 

"Look  there!  Look!  Quick!"  suddenly  in- 
terrupted Tom,  and  Ned,  looking,  saw  someone 
standing  behind  the  carpenter  in  the  door.  "If 
that  isn't  Andy  Foger,  I'll  eat  my  hat!"  cried 
Tom. 

"It  sure  is,"  agreed  Ned.  "What  in  the  world 
is  he  doing  there?" 

But  his  question  was  not  answered,  for,  a  mo- 
ment later,  Andy  turned,  and  went  inside,  and 
the  carpenter  followed,  closing  the  door  behind 
them. 

"That's  queer,"  spoke  Tom. 

"Very,"  agreed  Ned.  "He  didn't  go  back  after 
all.  I'd  like  to  know  what's  going  on  in  there." 

"And  there's  someone  else  who  would  like  to 
know,  also,  I  think,"  said  Tom  in  a  low  voice. 

"Who?"  asked  Ned. 

"That  man  hiding  behind  the  big  tree  across  the 
street.    I'm  sure  he's  watching  the  Foger  house 
and  when  Andy  came  to  the  door  that  time,  I 
happened  to  look  around  and  saw  that  man  focus 
a  pair  of  opera  glasses  on  him  and  the  carpenter. 

"You  don't  mean  it,  Tom!"  exclaimed  Ned. 

"I  sure  do.  I  believe  that  man  *"  some  sort  of 
a  spy  or  a  detective." 

"Do  you  think  he's  after  Andy?" 


20     TOM  SWIFT  AND  'HIS  GREA T  SEARCHLIGHT 

"I  don't  know.  Let's  not  get  mixed  up  in  the 
affair,  anyhow.  I  don't  want  to  be  called  in  as  a 
witness.  I  haven't  the  time  to  spare." 

As  if  the  man  behind  the  tree  was  aware  that 
he  had  attracted  the  attention  of  our  friends,  he 
qflickly  turned  and  walked  away.  Tom  and  Ned 
glanced  up  at  the  Foger  house,  but  saw  nothing, 
and  proceeded  on  to  the  store. 

"I'll  wager  anything  that  Andy  has  been  get- 
ting in  some  sort  of  trouble  in  the  town  he  moved 
to  from  here,"  went  on  Tom,  "and  he  daren't  go 
back.  So  he  came  here,  and  he's  hiding  in  his 
father's  old  house.  He  could  manage  to  live  there 
for  a  while,  with  the  carpenter  bringing  him  in 
food.  Say,  did  you  notice  who  that  man  was, 
with  the  saw?" 

"Yes,  he's  James  Dillon,  a  carpenter  who  lives 
down  on  our  street,"  replied  Ned.  "A  nice  man, 
too.  The  next  time  I  see  him,  I'm  going  to  ask 
him  what  Andy  is  doing  in  town,  and  what  the 
repairs  are  that  he's  making  on  the  house." 

"Well,  of  course  if  Andy  has  been  doing  any- 
thing wrong,  he  wouldn't  admit  it,"  said  Tom. 
"Though  Mr.  Dillon  may  tell  you  about  the  car- 
penter work.  But  I'm  sure  that  man  was  a  der 
tective  from  the  town  where  Andy  moved  to. 
You'll  see." 

"I  don't  think  so,"  was  Ned's  opinion.     "If 


IN  TOWN-  21 

Andy  was  hiding  he  wouldn't  show  himself  as 
plainly  as  he  did." 

The  two  chums  argued  on  this  question,  but 
could  come  to  no  decision.  Then,  having  reached 
Tom's  home  with  the  bolts,  they  went  hard  at 
work  on  the  airship. 

"Well,  now  to  see  what  happens!"  exclaimed 
Tom  the  next  day,  when  everything  was  ready  for 
a  trial  flight.  "I  wish  Mr.  Damon  was  here.  I 
sent  him  word,  but  I  didn't  hear  from  him." 

"Oh,  he  may  show  up  any  minute,"  replied 
Ned,  as  he  helped  Tom  and  Koku  wheel  the  new- 
ly-equipped airship  out  of  the  shed.  "The  first 
thing  you'll  hear  will  be  him  blessing  something. 
Is  this  far  enough  out,  Tom?" 

"No,  a  little  more,  and  then  head  her  up  into 
the  wind.  I  say,  Ned,  if  this  is  a  success, 
ftnd " 

Tom  stopped  suddenly  and  looked  out  into  the 
toad.  Then,  in  a  low  voice,  he  said,  to  Ned : 

"Don't  move  suddenly,  or  he'll  suspect  that 
We're  onto  his  game,  but  turn  around  slowly,  and 
look  behind  that  big  sycamore  tree  in  front  of 
our  house  Ned.  Tell  me  what  you  see." 

"There's  a  man  hiding  there,  Tom,"  reported 
his  chum,  a  little  later,  after  a  cautious  observa- 
tion. 

"I  thought  so.    What's  he  doing?" 


22     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

"Why  he — by  Jove!  Tom,  he's  looking  at  us 
through  opera  glasses,  like  that  other " 

"It  isn't  another,  it's  the  same  fellow!"  whis- 
pered Tom.  "It's  the  spy  who  was  watching 
Andy !  I'm  going  to  see  what's  up,"  and  he  strode 
rapidly  toward  the  street,  at  the  curb  of  which 
was  the  tree  that  partly  screened  the  man  bc^ 
hind  it. 


CHAPTER  III 

QUEER  REPAIRS 

QUICKLY  Tom  Swift  crossed  the  space  be- 
tween the  airship,  that  was  ready  for  a  flight,  and 
the  tree.  The  man  behind  it  had  apparently  not 
seen  Tom  coming,  being  so  interested  in  looking 
at  the  airship,  which  was  a  wonderful  craft.  He 
was  taken  completely  by  surprise  as  Tom,  step- 
ping up  to  him,  asked  sharply : 

"Who  are  you  and  what  are  you  doing  here?" 

The  man  started  so  that  he  nearly  dropped  the 
opera  glasses,  which  he  had  held  focused  on  the 
aeroplane.  Then  he  stepped  back,  and  eyed  Tom 
sharply. 

"What  do  you  want?"  repeated  our  hero. 
"What  right  have  you  to  be  spying  on  that  air- 
ship— on  these  premises?" 

The  man  hesitated  a  moment,  and  then  coolly 
returned  the  glasses  to  his  pocket.  He  did  not 
seem  at  all  put  out,  after  his  first  start  of  surprise. 

"What  are  you  doing?"  Tom  again  asked.  He 
looked  around  to  see  where  Koku,  the  giant,  wa*, 

23 


\ 


24     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT* 

land  beheld  the  big  man  walking  slowly  toward 
jhim,  for  Ned  had  mentioned  what  had  taken 
Ijplace. 

"What  right  have  you  to  question  my  actions?" 
asked  the  man,  and  there  was  in  his  tones  a  cer- 
tain authority  that  made  Tom  wonder. 

"Every  right,"  retorted  our  hero.  "That  is  my 
airship,  at  which  you  have  been  spying,  and  this 
is  where  I  live." 

"Oh,  it  is;  eh?"  asked  the  man  calmly.  "An<f 
that's  your  airship,  too?" 

"I  invented  it,  and  built  the  most  of  it  myself, 
If  you  are  interested  in  such  things,  and  can 
assure  me  that  you  have  no  spying  methods  in 
view,  I  can  show  you " 

"Have  you  other  airships?"  interrupted  the 
man  quickly. 

"Yes,  several,"  answered  Tom.  "But  I  can't 
understand  why  you  should  be  spying  on  rne.  If 
ou  don't  care  to  accept  my  offer,  like  a  gentle- 
man, tell  me  who  you  are,  and  what  your  object 
is,  I  will  have  my  assistant  remove  you.  You 
are  on  private  property,  as  this  street  is  not  a  pub- 
lic one,  being  cut  through  by  my  father.  I'll  have 
Koku  remove  you  by  force,  if  you  won't  go 
peaceably,  and  I  think  you'll  agree  with  me  that 
Koku  can  do  it.  Here  Koku,"  he  called  sharply, 
and  the  big  man  advanced  quickly. 


QUEER  REPAIRS  2$ 

"I  wouldn't  do  anything  rash,  if  I  were  you,"1 
said  the  man  quietly.  "As  for  this  being  private 
property,  that  doesn't  concern  me.  You're  Tom 
Swift,  aren't  you;  and  you  have  several  airships?" 

"Yes,  but  what  right  have  you  to " 

"Every  right!"  interrupted  the  man,  throwing 
back  the  lapel  of  his  coat,  and  showing  a  badge. 
"I'm  Special  Agent  William  Whitford,  of  the" 
United  States  Customs  force,  and  I'd  like  to  ask 
you  a  few  questions,  Tom  Swift."  He  looked 
our  hero  full  in  the  face. 

"Customs  department!"  gasped  Tom.  "You 
want  to  ask  me  some  questions?" 

"That's  it,"  went  on  the  man,  in  a  business-like 
yoice. 

"What  about?" 

"Smuggling  by  airship  from  Canada!" 

"What!"  cried  Tom.  "Do  you  mean  to  say; 
you  suspect  me  of  being  implicated  in " 

"Now  go  easy,"  advised  the  man  calmly.  "I 
'didn't  say  anything,  except  that  I  wanted  to  ques- 
tion you.  If  you'd  like  me  to  do  it  out  here,  why 
I  can.  But  as  someone  might  hear  us .M 

"Come  inside,"  said  Tom  quietly,  though  his 
heart  was  beating  in  a  tumult.  "You  may  go, 
Koku,  but  stay  within  call,"  he  added  significant- 
ly. "Come  on,  Ned,"  and  he  motioned  to  his 
chum  who  was  approaching.  "This  man  is  a 


26     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREA  T  SEARCHLIGHT 

custom  officer  and  not  a  spy  or  a  detective,  as 
we  thought." 

"Oh,  yes,  I  am  a  sort  of  a  detective,"  corrected 

Mr.  Whitford.    "And  I'm  a  spy,  too,  in  a  way, 

for  I've  been  spying  on  you,  and  some  other 

parties  in  town.    But  you  may  be  able  to  explain 

everything,"  he  added,  as  he  took  a  seat  in  the 

library  between  Ned  and  Tom.    "I  only  know  I 

was  sent  here  to  do  certain  work,  and  I'm  going 

Jo  do  it.     I  wanted  to  make  some  observations 

I  before  you  saw  me,  but  I  wasn't  quite  quick 

\J:nough." 

"Would  you  mind  telling  me  what  you  want 
to  know?"  asked  Tom,  a  bit  impatiently.  "You 
mentioned  smuggling,  and " 

"Smuggling!"  interrupted  Ned. 

"Yes,  over  from  Canada.  Maybe  you  have 
seen  something  in  the  papers  about  our  depart- 
ment thinking  airships  were  used  at  night  to  slip 
the  goods  over  the  border. 

"We  saw  it!"  cried  Tom  eagerly.  "But  how 
'does  that  concern  me?" 

"I'll  come  to  that,  presently,"  replied  Mr.  Whit- 
ford.  "In  the  first  place,  we  have  been  roundly 
laughed  at  in  some  papers  for  proposing  such  a 
theory.  And  yet  it  isn't  so  wild  as  it  sounds.  In 
'fact,  after  seeing  your  airship,  Tom  Swift,  I'm 
convinced " 


QUEER  REPAIRS  27 

"That  I've  been  smuggling?"  asked  Tom  witK 
a  laugh. 

"Not  at  all.  As  you  have  read,  we  confiscated 
some  smuggled  goods  the  other  day,  and  among 
them  was  a  scrap  of  paper  with  the  words  Shop- 
ton,  New  York,  on  it." 

"Was  it  a  letter  from  someone  here,  or  to 
someone  here?"  asked  Ned.  "The  papers  in- 
timated so." 

"No,  they  only  guessed  at  that  part  of  it.  It 
was  just  a  scrap  of  paper,  evidently  torn  from 
a  letter,  and  it  only  had  those  three  words  on  it 
Naturally  we  agents  thought  we  could  get  a  clew 
here.  We  imagined,  or  at  least  I  did,  for  I  was 
sent  to  work  up  this  end,  that  perhaps  the  air- 
ships for  the  smugglers  were  made  here.  I  made 
inquiries,  and  found  that  you,  Tom  Swift,  and 
one  other,  Andy  Foger,  had  made,  or  owned,  air- 
ships in  Shopton. 

"I  came  here,  but  I  soon  exhausted  the  possi- 
bility of  Andy  Foger  making  practical  airships. 
Besides  he  isn't  at  home  here  any  more,  and  he 
has  no  facilities  for  constructing  the  craft  as 
you  have.  So  I  came  to  look  at  your  place,  and  I 
must  say  that  it  looks  a  bit  suspicious,  Mr.  Swift. 
[Though,  of  course,  as  I  said,"  he  added  with  a 
smile,  "you  may  be  able  to  explain  everything." 

"I  think  I  can  convince  you  that  I  had  no  part 


28     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  ORE  A  T  SEARCHLIGHT 

In  the  smuggling,"  spoke  Tom,  laughing.  "I 
never  sell  my  airships.  If  you  like  you  may  talk 
with  my  father,  the  housekeeper,  and  others  who 
can  testify  that  since  my  return  from  taking 
moving  pictures,  I  have  not  been  out  of  town,  ancj 
the  smuggling  has  been  going  on  onlv  a  little 
while." 

"That  is  true,"  assented  the  custom  officer, 
"I  shall  be  glad  to  listen  to  any  evidence  you  may 
offer.  This  is  a  very  baffling  case.  The  govern- 
ment  is  losing  thousands  of  dollars  every  month, 
and  we  can't  seem  to  stop  the  smugglers,  or  get 
much  of  a  clew  to  them.  This  one  is  the  best  we 
have  had  so  far." 

It  did  not  take  Tom  many  hours  to  prove  to 
the  satisfaction  of  Mr.  Whitford  that  none  of 
our  hero's  airships  had  taken  any  part  in  cheat- 
ing Uncle  Sam  out  of  custom  duties. 

'Well,  I  don't  know  what  to  make  of  it,"  said 
the  government  agent,  with  a  disappointed  air,  as 
he  left  the  office  of  the  Shopton  chief  of  police, 
who,  with  others,  at  Tom's  request,  had  testified 
in  his  favor.  "This  looked  like  a  good  clew,  and 
now  it's  knocked  into  a  cocked  hat.  There's  no 
use  bothering  that  Foger  fellow,"  he  went  on, 
"for  he  has  but  one  airship,  I  understand." 

"And  that's  not  much  good,"  put  in  Ned.    "I 


QUEER  REPAIRS  29 

guess  it's  partly  wrecked,  and  Andy  has  kept  it 
out  in  the  barn  since  he  moved  away." 

"Well,  I  guess  I'll  be  leaving  town  then,"  went 
on  the  agent.  "I  can't  get  any  more  clews  here, 
and  there  may  be  some  new  ones  found  on  the 
Canadian  border  where  my  colleagues  are  try- 
ing to  catch  the  rascals.  I'm  sorry  I  bothered 
you,  Tom  Swift.  You  certainly  have  a  fine  lot 
of  airships,"  he  added,  for  he  had  been  taken 
through  the  shop,  and  shown  the  latest,  noiseless 
model.  "A  fine  lot.  I  don't  believe  the  smug- 
glers, if  they  use  them,  have  any  better." 

"Nor  as  good !"  exclaimed  Ned.    "Tom's  cant ; 
be  beat." 

"It's  too  late  for  our  noiseless  trial  now,"  re- 
marked Tom,  after  the  agent  had  gone.  "Let's 
put  her  back  in  the  shed,  and  then  I'll  take  you 
down  street,  and  treat  you  to  some  ice  cream, 
Ned.  It's  getting  quite  summery  now." 

As  the  boys  were  coming  out  of  the  drug  store, 
where  they  had  eaten  their  ice  cream  in  the  form 
of  sundaes,  Ned  uttered  a  cry  of  surprise  at  the 
sight  of  a  man  approaching  them. 

"It's  Mr.  Dillon,  the  carpenter  whom  we  saw  in 
the  Foger  house,  Tom!"  exclaimed  his  chum. 
"This  is  the  first  chance  I've  had  to  talk  to 
him.  I'm  going  to  ask  him  what  sort  of  repairs 


£0     TOM  S  WIFT  AND  HIS  GREA  T  SEARCHLIGHT 

he's  making  inside  the  old  mansion."  Ned  was 
soon  in  conversation  with  him. 

"Yes,  I'm  working  at  the  Foger  house,"  ad- 
mitted the  carpenter,  who  had  done  some  work 
for  Ned's  father.  "Mighty  queer  repairs,  too. 
Something  I  never  did  before.  If  Andy  wasn't 
there  to  tell  me  what  he  wanted  done  I  wouldn't 
know  what  to  do." 

"Is  Andy  there  yet?"  asked  Tom  quickly. 

"Yes,  he's  staying  in  the  old  house.  All  alone 
too,  except  now  and  then,  he  has  a  chum  stay 
there  nights  with  him.  They  get  their  own 
meals.  I  bring  the  stuff  in,  as  Andy  says  he's 
getting  up  a  surprise  and  doesn't  want  any  of 
the  boys  to  see  him,  or  ask  questions.  But  they 
are  sure  queer  repairs  I'm  doing,"  and  the  car- 
penter scratched  his  head  reflectively. 

"What  are  you  doing?"  asked  Ned  boldly. 

"Fixing  up  Andy's  old  airship  that  was  once 
busted,"  was  the  unexpected  answer,  "and  after 
I  get  that  done,  if  I  ever  do,  he  wants  me  to 
make  a  platform  for  it  on  the  roof  of  the  house, 
where  he  can  start  it  swooping  through  the  air. 
Mighty  queer  repairs,  I  call  'em.  Well,  good 
evening,  boys,"  and  the  carpenter  passed  on. 


CHAPTER  IV 

SEARCHING    FOR    SMUGGLERS. 

"WELL,  of  all  things !" 

:<Who  in  the  world  would  think  such  a  thing?** 

'Andy  going  to  start  out  with  his  airship 
again!" 

"And  going  to  sail  it  off  the  roof  of  his  house!" 

These  were  the  alternate  expressions  that  came 
from  Tom  and  Ned,  as  they  stood  gazing  at  each 
other  after  the  startling  information  given  them 
by  Mr.  Dillon,  the  carpenter. 

"Do  you  really  think  he  means  it?"  asked  Tom, 
after  a  pause,  during  which  they  watched  the 
retreating  figure  of  the  carpenter.  "Maybe  he 
was  fooling  us." 

"No,  Mr.  Dillon  seldom  jokes,"  replied  Ned, 
"and  when  he  does,  you  can  always  tell.  He  goes 
to  our  church,  and  I  know  he  wouldn't  deliberate- 
ly tell  an  untruth.  Oh,  Andy's  up  to  some  game 
all  right." 

"I  thought  he  must  be,  hanging  around  here 
the  way  he  has  been,  instead  of  being  home.  But 


«$2     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

I  admit  I  may  have  been  wrong  about  the  police 
being  after  him.  If  he'd  done  something  wrong, 
he  would  hardly  hire  a  man  to  work  on  the  house 
while  he  was  hiding  in  it.  I  guess  he  just  wants 
to  keep  out  of  the  way  of  everybody  but  his 
own  particular  cronies.  But  I  wonder  what  he  is 
up  to,  anyhow;  getting  his  airship  in  shape 
again?" 

"Give  it  up,  unless  there's  an  aero  meet  on 
somewhere  soon,"  replied  Ned.  "Maybe  he's  go- 
ing to  try  a  race  again." 

Tom  shook  his  head. 

"I'd  have  heard  about  any  aviation  meets,  if 
there  were  any  scheduled,"  he  replied.  "I  be- 
long to  the  national  association,  and  they  send 
out  circulars  whenever  there  are  to  be  races. 
None  are  on  for  this  season.  No,  Andy  has  some 
other  game." 

"Well,  I  don't  know  that  it  concerns  us,"  spoke 
Ned. 

"Not  as  long  as  he  doesn't  bother  me,"  an- 
swered the  young  inventor.  "Well,  Ned,  I  sup- 
pose you'll  be  over  in  the  morning  and  help  me 
try  out  the  noiseless  airship?" 

"Sure  thing.  Say,  it  was  queer,  about  that 
government  agent,  wasn't  it?  suspecting  you  of 
supplying  airships  to  the  smugglers?" 


SEARCHING  FOR  SMUGGLERS      33 

"Rather  odd,"  agreed  Tom.  "He  might  much 
better  suspect  Andy  Foger." 

"That's  so,  and  now  that  we  know  Andy  is  re- 
building his  old  airship,  maybe  we'd  better  tell 
him." 

"Tell  who?" 

"That  government  agent.  Tell  him  he's  wrong 
in  thinking  that  Andy  is  out  of  the  game.  We 
might  send  him  word  that  we  just  learned  that 
Andy  is  getting  active  again.  He  has  as  much 
right  to  suspect  and  question  him,  as  he  had  you.' 

"Oh,  I  don't  know,"  began  Tom  slowly.  He 
was  not  a  vindicative  youth,  nor,  for  that  mat- 
ter, was  Ned.  And  Tom  would  not  go  out  of 
his  way  to  give  information  about  an  enemy,  when 
it  was  not  certain  that  the  said  enemy  meant 
anything  wrong.  "I  don't  believe  there's  any- 
thing in  it,"  finished  our  hero.  "Andy  may  have 
a  lot  of  time  on  his  hands,  and,  for  want  of  some- 
thing better  to  do,  he's  fixing  up  his  aeroplane." 

"Look!"  suddenly  exclaimed  Ned.  "There's 
that  agent  now !  He's  going  to  the  depot  to  get  a 
train,  I  guess,"  and  he  pointed  to  the  government 
man,  who  had  so  lately  interviewed  Tom.  "I'm 
going  to  speak  to  him!"  impulsively  declared 
Ned. 

"I  wouldn't,"  objected  Tom,  but  his  chum  had 
already  hastened  on  ahead,  and  soon  was  seen 


34     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HfS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

talking  excitedly  to  Mr.  Whitford.  Tom  saun- 
tered up  in  time  to  hear  the  close  of  the  con- 
versation. 

"I'm  much  obliged  to  you  for  your  informa- 
tion," said  the  custom  officer,  "but  I'm  afraid, 
just  as  you  say  your  chum  felt  about  it,  that 
there's  nothing  in  it.  This  Foger  chap  may  have 
been  bad  in  the  past,  but  I  hardly  think  he's  in 
with  the  smugglers.  What  I'm  looking  for  is  not 
a  lad  who  has  one  airship,  but  someone  who  is 
making  a  lot  of  them,  and  supplying  the  men  who 
are  running  goods  over  the  border.  That's  the 
sort  of  game  I'm  after,  and  if  this  Andy  Foger 
only  has  one  aeroplane  I  hardly  think  he  can  be 
very  dangerous." 

"Well,  perhaps  not,"  admitted  Ned.  "But  I 
thought  I'd  tell  you." 

"And  I'm  glad  you  did.  If  you  hear  anything 
more,  I'll  be  glad  to  have  you  let  me  know. 
Here's  my  card,"  and  thanking  the  boys  for  their 
interest  Mr.  Whitford  passed  on. 

Tom  and  Ned  gave  the  noiseless  airship  a  test 
the  next  day.  The  craft,  which  was  the  stanch 
Falcon,  remodeled,  was  run  out  of  the  shed,  Koku 
the  giant  helping,  while  Mr.  Swift  stood  looking 
on,  an  interested  spectator  of  what  his  son  was 
about  to  do.  Eradicate,  the  old  colored  man,  who 
was  driving  his  mule  Boomerang,  hitched  to  a 


SEARCHING  FOR  SMUGGLERS 


35 


wagon  in  which  he  was  carting  away  some  refuse 
that  had  been  raked  up  in  the  garden,  halted  his 
outfit  nearby. 

"I  say,  Massa  Tom!"  he  called,  as  the  young 
inventor  passed  near  him,  in  making  a  tour  of  the 
ship. 

Well,  Rad,  what  is  it?" 


MCM 


"Doan't  yo'-all  want  fo'  me  an'  Boomerang  if 
gib  yo'-all  a  tow?  Mebby  dat  new-fangled  con- 
traption  yo'-all  has  done  put  on  yo'  ship  won't 
wuk,  an'  mebby  I'd  better  stick  around  t'  pull  yo'- 
all  home." 

"No,  Rad,  I  guess  it  will  work  all  right.  If  ft 
doesn't,  and  we  get  stuck  out  a  mile  or  two,  I'll 
send  you  a  wireless  message." 

"Doan't  do  dat!"  begged  the  colored  man.  "I 
neber  could  read  dem  wireless  letters  anyhow. 
Jest  gib  a  shout,  an'  me  an'  Boomerang  will  come 
a-runnin'." 

"All  right,  Rad,  I  will.  Now,  Ned,  is  every- 
thing in  shape?" 

"I  think  so,  Tom." 

"Koku,  just  put  a  little  more  wind  in  those 
tires.  But  don't  pump  as  hard  as  you  did  the 
other  day,"  Tom  cautioned. 

"What  happened  then?"  asked  Ned 

"Oh,  Koku  forgoPthat  he  had  so  much  muscle, 
and  he  kept  on  pumping  air  into  the  bicycle  wheel 


g£     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREA  T  SEARCHLIGHT 

tires  until  he  burst  one.     Go  easy  this  time, 
Koku." 

"I  will,  Mr.  Tom,"  and  the  giant  took  the  air 
pump. 

"Is  he  going  along?"  asked  Ned,  as  he  looked 
to  see  that  all  the  guy  wires  and  stays  were  tight. 

"I  guess  so,"  replied  Tom.  "He  makes  good 
ballast.  I  wish  Mr.  Damon  was  here.  If  every- 
thing goes  right  we  may  take  a  run  over,  and  sur- 
prise him." 

In  a  little  while  the  noiseless  airship  was  ready 
for  the  start.  Tom,  Ned  and  Koku  climbed  in, 
and  took  their  positions. 

"Good  luck!"  Mr.  Swift  called  after  them. 
Tom  waved  his  hand  to  his  father,  and  the  next 
moment  his  craft  shot  into  the  air.  Up  and  up  it 
went,  the  great  propeller  blades  beating  the  air, 
but,  save  for  a  soft  whirr,  such  as  would  be  made 
by  the  wings  of  a  bird,  there  was  absolutely  no 
sound. 

"Hurrah!"  cried  Tom.  "She  works!  I've 
got  a  noiseless  airship  at  last !" 

"Say,  don't  yell  at  a  fellow  so,"  begged  Ned, 
for  Tom  had  been  close  to  his  chum  when  he 
made  his  exulting  remark. 

"Yell !  I  wasn't  yelling,"  replied  Tom.  "Oh,  I 
see  what  happened.  I'm  so  used  to  speaking  loud 
on  the  other  airships,  that  make  such  a  racket, 


SEARCHING  FOR  SMUGGLERS  37 

that  I  didn't  realize  how  quiet  it  was  aboard  the 
new  Falcon.  No  wonder  I  nearly  made  you  deaf, 
Ned.  I'll  be  careful  after  this,"  and  Tom  lowered 
his  voice  to  ordinary  tones.  In  fact  it  was  as 
quiet  aboard  his  new  craft,  as  if  he  and  Ned 
had  been  walking  in  some  grass-grown  country 
lane. 

"She  certainly  is  a  success,"  agreed  Ned.  "You 
could  creep  up  on  some  other  airship  now,  and 
those  aboard  would  never  know  you  were 
coming."  y^  ^^  ^^  i{"^^ 

"I've  been  planning  this  for  a  long  time," 
went  on  our  hero,  as  he  shifted  the  steering  gear, 
and  sent  the  craft  around  in  a  long,  sweeping 
curve.  "Now  for  Water  ford  and  Mr.  Damon." 

They  were  soon  above  the  town  where  the  odd 
man  lived,  and  Tom,  picking  out  Mr.  Damon's 
house,  situated  as  it  was  in  the  midst  of  exten- 
sive grounds,  headed  for  it. 

"There  he  is,  walking  through  the  garden," 
exclaimed  Ned,  pointing  to  their  friend  down 
below.  "He  hasn't  heard  us,  as  he  would  have 
done  if  we  had  come  in  any  other  machine." 

"That's  so!"  exclaimed  Tom.  "I'm  going  to 
give  him  a  sensation.  I'll  fly  right  over  his  head, 
and  he  won't  know  it  until  he  sees  us.  I'll  come 
up  from  behind." 

A  moment  later  he  put  this  little  trick  into  exe- 


'  38     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREA T  SEARCHLIGHT 

cution.  Along  swept  the  airship,  until,  with  a 
rush,  it  passed  right  over  Mr.  Damon's  head. 
He  never  heard  it,  and  was  not  aware  of  what 
was  happening  until  he  saw  the  shadow  it  cast 
Then,  jumping  aside,  as  if  he  thought  something 
was  about  to  fall  on  him,  he  cried : 

"Bless  my  mosquito  netting!  What  in  the 
world " 

Then  he  saw  Tom  and  Ned  in  the  airship, 
which  came  gently  to  earth  a  few  yards  further 
on. 

"Well  of  all  things !"  cried  Mr.  Damon.  "What 
are  you  up  to  now,  Tom  Swift?" 

"It's  my  noiseless  airship,"  explained  our  hero. 
"She  doesn't  make  a  sound.     Get  aboard,  and 
have  a  ride." 
/  Mr.  Damon  looked  toward  the  house. 

"I  guess  my  wife  won't  see  me,"  he  said  with 
a  chuckle.  "She's  more  than  ever  opposed  to 
airships,  Tom,  since  we  went  on  that  trip  taking 
loving  pictures.  But  I'll  take  a  chance."  And 
in  he  sprang,  when  the  two  lads  started  up  again. 
They  made  quite  a  flight,  and  Tom  found  that  his 
new  motor  exceeded  his  expectations.  True,  it 
needed  some  adjustments,  but  these  could  easily 
be  made. 

"Well,  what  are  you  going  to  do  with  it,  now 
that  you  have  it?"  asked  Mr.  Damon,  as  Tom 


SEARCHING  FOR  SMUGGLERS  39 

once  more  brought  the  machine  around  to  the  odd 
man's  house,  and  stopped  it.    "What's  it  for?" 

"Oh,  I  think  I'll  find  a  use  for  it,"  replied  the 
young  inventor.  "Will  you  come  back  to  Shop- 
ton  with  us?" 

"No,  I  must  stay  here.  I  have  some  letters 
to  write.  But  I'll  run  over  in  a  few  days,  and 
see  you.  Then  I'll  go  on  another  trip,  if  you've 
got  one  planed." 

"I  may  have,"  answered  Tom  with  a  laugh. 
"Good-bye." 

He  and  Ned  made  a  quick  flight  home,  and 
Tom  at  once  started  on  making  some  changes  in 
the  motor.  He  was  engaged  at  this  work  the  next 
clay,  when  he  noticed  a  shadow  pass  across  an 
Open  window.  He  looked  up  to  see  Ned. 

"Hello,  Tom!"  cried  his  chum.  "Have  you 
leard  the  news?" 

"No,  what  news?  Has  Andy  Foger  fallen  out 
0f  his  airship?" 

"No,  but  there  are  a  whole  lot  of  Custom 
House  detectives  in  town,  looking  for  clews  to 
the  smugglers." 

"Still  at  it;  eh?  Shopton  can't  seem  to  keep 
out  of  the  limelight.  Has  anything  new  turned 
up?" 

"Yes,  I  just  met  Mr.  Whitford.  He's  back  on 
the  case  and  he  has  several  men  with  him. 


40     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREA T  SEARCHLIGHT 

$i  received  word  that  some  smuggled  goods  came 

to  Shopton,  and  were  shipped  out  of  here  again." 

"How,  by  airship?" 

"No,  by  horse  and  wagon.  A  lot  of  cases  of 
valuable  silks  imported  from  England  to  Canada, ; 
where  the  duty  is  light,  were  slipped  over  the  bor- 
der somehow,  in  airships,  it  is  thought.  Then 
they  came  here  by  freight,  labeled  as  calico,  and 
when  they  reached  this  town  they  were  taken 
away  in  a  wagon." 

"But  how  did  they  get  here?" 

"On  the  railroad,  of  course,  but  the  freight 
people  had  no  reason  to  suspect  them. " 

"And  where  were  they  taken  from  the  freight 
station?" 

"That's  what  the  customs  authorities  want  to 
find  out.  They  think  there's  some  secret  place 
here,  where  the  goods  are  stored  and  re-shipped. 
That's  why  so  many  detectives  are  here.  They 
are  after  the  smugglers  hot- footed." 


CHAPTER  V; 

THE     RAID 

TOM  SWIFT  dropped  the  tool  he  was  using,  and 
came  over  to  where  Ned  stood,  his  chum  having 
vaulted  in  through  the  open  window. 

"Ned,"  said  the  young  inventor,  "there's  some* 
thing  queer  about  this  business." 

"I'm  beginning  to  think  so  myself,  Tom.  But 
just  what  do  you  mean?" 

"I  mean  it's  queer  that  the  smugglers  should 
pick  out  a  place  like  Shopton — a  small  town — for 
their  operations,  or  part  of  them,  when  there  are 
so  many  better  places.  We're  quite  a  distance 
from  the  Canadian  border.  Say,  Ned,  where  was 
it  that  Mr.  Foger  moved  to?  Hogan's  alley,  or 
some  such  name  as  that;  wasn't  it?" 

"Logansville,  this  state,  was  the  place.  I  once 
«aw  Tom  Snedecker  mail  Andy  a  letter  addressed 
to  there.  But  what  has  that  to  do  with  it?" 

Tom's  answer  was  to  turn  to  a  large  map  on 
the  wall  of  his  shop.  With  a  long  stick  he  pointed 
out  the  city  of  Logansville. 

41 


42     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

"That  isn't  very  far  from  the  Canadian  bor- 
der; is  it,  Ned?"  he  asked. 

"Say,  what  are  you  driving  at,  Tom?  It's 
right  on  the  border  between  New  York  and 
Canada,  according  to  that  map." 

"Well,  that's  a  good  map,  and  you  can  be  sure 
it  is  nearly  right.  And,  look  here.  There's  the 
town  of  Montford,  in  Canada,  almost  opposite 
Logansville." 

"Well?" 

"Oh,  nothing,  only  I'm  going  to  see  Mr. 
Whitford." 

"What  do  you  mean,  Tom?" 

"I  mean  that  the  something  queer  part  about 
this  business  may  be  explained.  They  have 
traces  of  the  smugglers  sending  their  goods  to 
Shopton  to  be  re-shipped  here,  to  avoid  suspicion, 
probably.  They  have  a  suspicion  that  airships  are 
used  to  get  the  goods  over  the  Canadian  border 
at  night." 

"But,"  broke  in  Ned,  "the  government  agent 
said  that  it  was  across  the  St.  Lawrence  River 
they  brought  them.  Montford  is  quite  a  distance 
from  the  river.  I  suppose  the  smugglers  take  the 
goods  from  the  river  steamers,  land  them,  pack 
them  in  airships,  and  fly  across  with  them.  But 
if  you're  trying  to  connect  the  Fogers,  and  Lo- 
gansville, and  Montford  with  the  smugglers.  I 


THE  RAID 


43 


don't  see  where  it  comes  in  with  the  St.  Lawrence, 
and  the  airships,  Tom." 

"Forget  that  part  of  it  for  a  while,  Ned.  May- 
be they  are  all  off  on  airships,  anyhow.  I  don't 
take  much  stock  in  that  theory,  though  it  may  be 
true." 

"Just  think  of  the  Fogers,"  went  on  Tom. 
"Mr.  Foger  has  lost  all  his  money,  he  lives  in  a 
town  near  the  Canadian  border,  it  is  almost  cer- 
tain that  smuggled  goods  have  been  shipped  here. 
Mr.  Foger  has  a  deserted  house  here,  and — see 
the  connection?" 

"By  Jove,  Tom,  I  believe  you're  right!"  cried 
his  chum.  "Maybe  the  airships  aren't  in  it  after 
all,  and  Andy  is  only  making  a  bluff  at  having  his 
repaired,  to  cover  up  some  other  operations  in 
the  house." 

"I  believe  so." 

"But  that  would  mean  that  Mr.  Dillon,  the 
carpenter  is  not  telling  the  truth,  and  I  can't  be- 
lieve that  of  him." 

"Oh,  I  believe  he's  honest,  but  I  think  Andy  is 
fooling  him.  Mr.  Dillon  doesn't  know  much 
about  airships,  and  Andy  may  have  had  him  do- 
ing something  in  the  house,  telling  him  it  was 
repair  work  on  an  airship,  when,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  the  carpenter  might  be  making  boxes  to 


44 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 


ship  the  goods  in,  or  constructing  secret  places  in 
which  to  hide  them." 

"I  don't  believe  it,  Tom.  But  I  agree  witK 
you  that  there  is  something  queer  going  on  in 
Shopton.  The  Fogers  may,  or  may  not,  be  con- 
nected with  it.  What  are  you  going  to  do?" 

"I'm  first  going  to  have  a  talk  with  Mr.  Whit- 
ford.  Then  I'm  going  to  see  if  I  can't  prove,  or 
disprove,  that  the  Fogers  are  concerned  in  the 
matter.  If  they're  not,  then  some  one  else  iir 
Shopton  must  be  guilty.  But  I'm  interested,  be* 
cause  I  have  been  brought  into  this  thing  in  a 
way,  and  I  want  it  sifted  to  the  bottom." 

"Then  you're  going  to  see  Mr.  Whitford?" 

"I  am,  and  I'm  going  to  tell  him  what  I  think. 
Come  on,  we'll  look  him  up  now." 

"But  your  noiseless  airship?" 

"Oh,  that's  all  right.  It's  nearly  finished  any- 
how, I've  just  got  a  little  more  work  on  the  car- 
buretor. That  will  keep.  Come  on,  we'll  find  the 
government  agent." 

But  Mr.  Whitford  was  not  at  the  hotel  where 
he  and  the  other  custom  inspectors  had  put  up. 
They  made  no  secret  of  their  presence  in  Shop- 
ton,  and  all  sorts  of  rumors  were  flying  about  re- 
garding them.  Mr.  Whitford,  the  hotel  clerk 
said,  had  gone  out  of  town  for  the  day,  and,  as 
Ned  and  Tom  did  not  feel  like  telling  their  sus- 


THE  RAID 


45 


picions  to  any  of  the  other  agents,  they  started 
back  home. 

"I  understand  they're  going  to  search  every 
house  in  Shopton,  before  they  go  away,"  said  the 
clerk  to  the  boys.  "They  are  going  to  look  for 
smuggled  goods." 

"They  are;  eh?"  exclaimed  Colonel  Henry 
Denterby,  who  had  fought  in  the  Civil  War. 
"Search  my  house;  eh?  Well  I  guess  not!  A 
man's  house  is  his  castle,  sir!  That's  what  it  is. 
No  one  shall  enter  mine,  no  matter  if  he  is  a  gov- 
ernment official,  unless  I  give  him  permission,  sir ! 
And  I  won't  do  that,  sir!  I'll  be  revolutionized 
if  I  do!  No,  sir!" 

"Why,  you  haven't  any  smuggled  goods  con- 
cealed, have  you,  Colonel?"  slyly  asked  a  hotel 
lounger. 

"Smuggled  goods?  What  do  you  mean,  sir?" 
cried  the  veteran,  who  was  something  of  a  fire- 
eater.  "No,  sir!  Of  course  not,  sir!  I  pay  my 
taxes,  sir ;  and  all  my  debts.  But  no  government 
spy  is  going  to  come  into  my  house,  and  upset 
everything,  sir,  looking  for  smuggled  goods,  sir. 
No,  sir!" 

Some  were  of  one  opinion,  and  some  another, 
and  there  was  quite  a  discussion  underway  con- 
cerning the  rights  of  the  custom  officers,  as  the 
boys  came  out  of  the  hotel. 


^6     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

Likewise  there  was  talk  about  who  might  be 
the  guilty  ones,  but  no  names  were  mentioned,  at 
least  openly. 

"Let's  go  past  the  Foger  house  on  our  way 
back,"  proposed  Ned,  and  as  he  and  Tom  came 
in  front  of  it,  they  heard  a  pounding  going  on 
within,  but  saw  no  signs  of  Andy  or  the  carpen- 
ter. 

"They're  keeping  mighty  close,"  commented 
Tom. 

The  two  boys  worked  that  afternoon  on  the 
new  airship,  and  in  the  evening,  when  Ned  came 
over,  Tom  proposed  that  they  make  another  at- 
tempt to  see  Mr.  Whit  ford. 

"I  want  to  get  this  thing  off  my  mind,"  spoke 
the  young  inventor,  and  he  and  his  chum  started 
for  the  hotel.  Once  more  they  passed  the  Foger 
house.  It  was  in  darkness,  but,  as  the  two  lads 
stood  watching,  they  saw  a  flash  of  a  light,  as  if 
it  came  through  a  crack  in  a  shutter  or  a  shade. 

"Some  one  is  in  there,"  declared  Tom. 

"Yes,  probably  Andy  is  getting  his  own  sup- 
per. It's  queer  he  wants  to  lead  that  sort  of  a 
life.  Well,  everyone  to  their  notion,  as  the  old 
lady  said  when  she  kissed  the  cow." 

They  stood  for  a  few  minutes  watching  the  old 
mansion,  and  then  went  on.  As  they  passed 
down  a  lane,  to  take  a  short  cut,  they  approached 


THE  RAID 


47 


a  small  house,  that,  in  times  past,  had  been  oc- 
cupied by  the  gardener  of  the  Foger  estate.  Now, 
that  too,  was  closed.  But,  in  front  of  it  stood  a 
wagon  with  a  big  canvass  cover  over  it,  and,  as 
the  lads  came  nearer,  the  wagon  drove  off  quickly, 
and  in  silence.  At  the  same  time  a  door  in  the 
gardener's  house  was  heard  to  shut  softly. 

"Did  you  see  that?"  cried  Ned. 

"Yes,  and  did  you  hear  that?"  asked  Tom. 

"They're  carting  stuff  away  from  the  old  gar* 
dener's  house,"  went  on  Ned.  "Maybe  it's  there 
that  the  smugglers  are  working  from!  Let's 
hurry  to  see  Mr.  Whitford." 

"Hold  on!"  exclaimed  Tom  in  a  whisper. 
"I've  got  one  suggestion,  Ned.  Let's  tell  all  we 
know,  and  what  we  think  may  be  the  case,  but 
don't  make  any  rash  statements.  We  might  be 
held  responsible.  Tell  what  we  have  seen,  and 
let  the  government  men  do  the  rest." 

"All  right.     I'm  willing." 

They  watched  the  wagon  as  it  passed  on  out  of 
sight  in  the  darkness,  and  then  hurried  on  to  see 
Mr.  Whitford.     To  say  that  the  custom  officer! 
was  astonished  at  what  the  boys  related  to  him,  is 
putting  it  mildly.    He  was  much  excited. 

"I  think  we're  on  the  right  trail !"  he  exclaimed. 
"You  may  have  done  a  big  service  for  Uncle  Sam. 
Come  on!" 


^8     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

"Where?"  the  boys  asked  him. 

"We'll  make  a  raid  on  the  old  Foger  home, 
and  on  the  gardener's  house  at  once.  We  may 
catch  the  rascals  red-handed.  You  can  have  the 
honor  of  representing  Uncle  Sam.  I'll  make  you 
assistant  deputies  for  the  night.  Here  are  some 
extra  badges  I  always  carry,"  and  he  pinned  one 
each  on  the  two  young  men. 

Mr.  Whit  ford  quietly  summoned  several  of  his 
men  to  his  hotel  room,  and  imparted  to  them 
.what  he  had  learned.  They  were  eager  for  the? 
raid,  and  it  was  decided  to  go  to  the  Foger  home, 
and  the  other  house  at  once,  first  seeking  to  gain 
an  entrance  to  the  mansion. 

Accompanied  by  Tom  and  Ned,  Mr.  Whitford 
left  the  hotel.  There  were  few  persons  about, 
and  no  attention  was  attracted.  The  other  agents 
left  the  hotel  one  by  one,  and  in  the  darkness 
gathered  about  the  seemingly  deserted  mansion. 

"** Stand  ready  now,  men,"  whispered  Mr.  Whit- 
iford.  "Tom,  Ned  and  I  will  go  up  the  steps 
first,  and  knock.  If  they  don't  let  us  in  I'm  going 
to  smash  the  door.  Then  you  follow." 
'-*  Rather  excited  by  what  was  about  to  take  place, 
the  two  chums  accompanied  the  chief  custom 
agent.  He  rapped  loudly  on  the  door  of  UIQ 
house,  where  only  darkness  showed. 

There  was  a  moment  of  silence,  and  then  a 


THE  RAID 


49 


voice  which  Tom  and  Ned  recognized  as  that  of 
Andy  Foger,  asked: 

"What  do  you  want?" 

"We  want  to  come  in,"  replied  Mr.  Whitford. 

"But  who  are  you?" 

"Uncle  Sam's  officers,  from  the  custom  house." 

Tom  distinctly  heard  a  gasp  of  surprise  on  the 
other  side  of  the  portal,  and  then  a  bolt  was 
drawn.  The  door  was  thrown  back,  and  there, 
confronting  the  two  lads  and  Mr.  Whitford, 
were  Andy  Foger  and  his  father. 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE   APPEAL   TO   TOM 

"WELL,  what  does  this  mean?"  asked  Mr. 
Foger  in  indignant  tones,  as  he  faced  the  cus- 
tom officer  and  Tom  and  Ned.  "What  do  you 
mean  by  coming  to  my  house  at  this  hour,  and 
disturbing  me?  I  demand  an  answer!" 

"And  you  shall  have  it,"  replied  Mr.  Whit- 
ford  calmly.  He  was  used  to  dealing  with  "in- 
dignant" persons,  who  got  very  much  on  their 
dignity  when  accused  of  smuggling.  "We  arg 
here,  Mr.  Foger,  because  of  certain  information 
we  have  received,  and  we  must  ask  you  to  sub- 
mit to  some  questions,  and  allow  your  house  to 
be  searched." 

f*** What!  You  question  me?  Search  this  house? 
That  is  an  indignity  to  which  I  will  not  submit !" 

"You  will  have  to,  Mr.  Foger.  I  have  ample 
authority  for  what  I  am  doing,  and  I  am  backed 
by  the  most  powerful  government  in  the  world. 
I  also  have  plenty  of  help  with  me." 

Mr.  Whitford  blew  his  whistle,  and  at  once 
his  several  deputies  came  running  up. 

50 


THE  APPEAL  TO  TOM  53 

"You  see  I  am  well  prepared  to  meet  force  witH 
force,  Mr.  Foger,"  said  the  chief  agent,  calmly. 

"Force!    What  do  you  mean,  sir?" 

"I  mean  that  I  have  certain  information  against 
you.  There  has  been  smuggling  going  on  from 
Canada  into  the  United  States." 

"Canada?    What  have  I  to  do  with  Canada?" 

"You  don't  live  far  from  there,"  said  Mr. 
Whit  ford  significantly.  "Airships  have  been 
used.  Your  son  has  one,  but  I  don't  believe  that 
figured  in  the  game.  But  two  friends  of  min€i 
saw  something  to-night  that  made  me  decide  on 
this  raid.  Tom  and  Ned,  tell  Mr.  Foger  what 
you  saw." 

The  agent  stepped  back,  so  that  the  two  lads 
could  be  seen.  There  was  another  gasp  of  sur- 
prise, this  time  from  Andy  Foger,  who  had  re- 
mained in  the  background. 

"Tom  Swift!"  gasped  the  bully. 

"Tell  them  wha'  you  saw,  Tom,"  went  on  the 
agent,  and  Tom  and  Ned,  by  turns,  related  the 
incident  of  the  wagon  load  of  goods  driving 
away  from  the  gardener's  house. 

"This,  with  what  has  gone  before,  made  us 
suspicious,"  said  Mr.  Whitford.    "So  we  decided 
on  a  raid.     If  you  are  not  willing  to  let  us  i«  / 
peaceably,  we  will  come  by  force." 

"By  all  means  come  in!"  was  the  unexpected 


52     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT! 

reply  of  Mr.  Foger,  as  he  stepped  back,  and 
opened  wider  the  door.  "Andy,  these  are  some 
friends  of  yours,  are  they  not?" 

"Friends?  I  guess  not!"  exclaimed  Andy  with 
a  sneer.  "I  won't  even  speak  to  them." 

"Not  much  lost,"  commented  Tom  with  a 
laugh. 

"Search  the  house!"  ordered  Mr.  Whitford 
sharply. 

"I'll  show  you  around,"  offered  Mr.  Foger. 

"We  can  find  our  way,"  was  the  curt  rejoinder 
of  the  chief  agent. 

"The  place  is  deserted,"  went  on  Mr.  Foger. 
"My  son  and  I  are  just  living  here  until  certain 
repairs  are  made,  when  I  am  going  to  make 
another  effort  to  sell  it." 

"Yes,  we  knew  it  was  being  repaired,  and  that 
your  son  was  staying  here,"  said  Mr.  Whitford. 
"But  we  did  not  expect  to  see  you." 

"I — er — that  is — I  came  on  unexpectedly,"  said 
Mr.  Foger.  "You  may  look  about  all  you  wish. 
You  will  find  nothing  wrong  here." 

And  they  did  not,  strange  to  say.  There  was 
considerable  litter  in  many  of  the  rooms,  and 
in  one  was  Andy's  airship  in  parts.  Clearly  work 
was  being  done  on  that,  and  Mr.  Dillon's  story; 
was  confirmed,  for  tools,  with  his  initials  burned 
in  the  handles,  were  lying  about. 


THE  APPEAL  TO  TOM  53 

The  custom  men,  with  Tom  and  Ned,  went  all 
over  the  house.  Andy  scowled  blackly  at  our 
hero,  but  said  nothing.  Mr.  Foger  seemed  an- 
lious  to  show  everything,  and  let  the  men  go 
where  they  would.  Finally  a  tour  of  the  house 
had  been  completed,  and  nothing  of  a  suspicious 
nature  was  found. 

"I  guess  we'll  just  take  a  look  at  the  roof,  and 
see  that  airship  platform  your  son  is  going  to 
use,"  said  Mr.  Whitford,  in  rather  disappointed 
tones,  when  he  had  found  nothing. 

"It  isn't  started  yet,"  said  Andy. 

But  they  all  went  up  through  a  scuttle,  never- 
theless, and  saw  where  some  posts  had  been  made 
fast  to  the  roof,  to  provide  a  platform  foundation. 

"I'll  beat  you  all  to  pieces  when  I  get  flying," 
said  the  bully  to  Tom,  as  they  went  down  the 
scuttle  again. 

"I'm  not  in  the  racing  game  any  more,"  re- 
plied Tom  coldly.  "Besides  I  only  race  with  my, 
friends." 

"  Huh !    Afraid  of  getting  beat ! "  sneered  Andy. 

"Well,  I  guess  there's  nothing  here,"  said  Mr. 
Whitford  to  Mr.  Foger,  as  they  stood  together 
in  the  front  room. 

"No,  I  knew  you'd  find  nothing,  and  you  have 
had  your  trouble  for  your  pains." 

"Oh,  Uncle  Sam  doesn't  mind  trouble," 


•54     TOM  SWIFT^AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

"And  you  have  caused  me  much  annoyance!" 
said  Mr.  Foger  sharply. 

"I'm  afraid  we'll  have  to  cause  you  more," 
was  the  agent's  comment.  "I  want  to  have  a  look 
in  the  gardener's  house,  from  where  Tom  Swift 
saw  the  load  going  away. " 

"There  is  nothing  there!"  declared  Mr.  Foger 
quickly.  "That  is,  nothing  but  some  old  fur- 
niture. I  sold  a  lot  of  it,  and  I  suppose  the  man 
who  bought  it  came  for  it  to-night." 

"We'll  take  a  look,"  repeated  the  agent.  "I 
am  very  fond  of  old  furniture." 

"Very  well,"  responded  the  bully's  father,  as 
he  eyed  Tom  and  Ned  blackly. 

He  led  the  way  out  of  the  house,  and  soon 
they  stood  before  the  small  cottage.  It  was  dark, 
and  when  Mr.  Foger  unlocked  the  door  he  turned 
on  the  gas,  and  lighted  it. 

"I  left  the  gas  on  until  all  the  furniture  should 
be  taken  out,"  he  explained.  "But  you  will  find 
nothing  here." 

It  needed  but  a  glance  about  the  place  to  show 
that  only  some  odds  and  ends  of  furniture  was 
all  that  it  contained. 

"Where  does  this  door  lead  to,"  asked  Mr, 
Whitford,  when  he  had  made  a  tour  of  the  place, 

"Nowhere.  Oh,  that  is  only  down  into  the* 
cellar,"  was  the  reply.  "There  is  nothing  there. n 


THE  APPEAL  TO  TOM 


55 


**We  can't  take  anything  for  granted,"  went 
on  the  agent  with  a  smile.  "I'll  take  a  look 
down  there." 

He  descended  with  some  of  his  men.  Tom 
and  Ned  remained  in  the  kitchen  of  the  cottage, 
while  Andy  and  his  father  conversed  in  low  tones, 
occasionally  casting  glances  at  our  heroes.  Once 
Tom  thought  Mr.  Foger  looked  apprehensively 
toward  the  door,  through  which  the  custom  men 
had  descended.  He  also  appeared  to  be  anxiously 
listening. 

But  when  Mr.  Whitford  came  back,  with  a 
disappointed  look  on  his  face,  and  said  there  was 
nothing  to  be  found,  Mr.  Foger  smiled : 

"What  did  I  tell  you?"  he  asked  triumphantly. 

"Never  mind,"  was  the  retort  of  Uncle  Sam's 
man.  "We  are  not  through  with  Shopton  yet." 

"I'm  sorry  we  gave  you  so  much  trouble  on  a 
false  clew,"  said  Tom,  as  he  and  Ned  left  the 
Foger  premises  with  Mr.  Whitford,  the  other 
deputies  following. 

"That's  all  right,  Tom.  We  have  to  follow 
many  false  clews.  I'm  much  obliged  to  you. 
Either  we  were  on  the  wrong  track,  or  the  Fogers 
are  more  clever  than  I  gave  them  credit  for.  ^But 
I  am  not  done  yet.  I  have  something  to  pro- 
pose to  you.  It  has  come  to  me  in  the  last  few 
minutes.  I  saw  you  in  your  airship  once,  and  I 


SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 


know  you  know  how  to  manage  such  craft.  Now 
ithere  is  no  question  in  my  mind  but  what  the: 
smugglers  are  using  airships.  Tom,  will  you 
undertake  a  jnission  for  Uncle  J>am  ?" 

"What  do  you  mean?" 

"I  mean  will  you  go  to  the  border,  in  your  air- 
ship, and  try  to  catch  the  smugglers?  I  can 
promise  you  a  big  reward,  and  much  fame  if  we 
catch  them.  An  airship  is  just  what  is  needed 
You  are  the  one  to  do  it.  Will  you?" 


CHAPTER  VII 

A  SEARCHLIGHT  IS  NEEDED 

FOR  a  few  moments  after  the  custom  officer 
had  made  his  appeal,  Tom  Swift  did  not  reply. 
His  thoughts  were  busy  with  many  things.  Some- 
how, it  seemed  of  late,  there  had  been  many 
demands  on  him,  demands  that  had  been  hard 
and  trying. 

In  the  past  he  had  not  hestitated,  but  in  those 
cases  friendship,  as  well  as  a  desire  for  adven- 
tures, had  urged  him.     Now  he  thought  he  had, 
had  his  fill  of  adventures. 

"Well?"  asked  Mr.  Whitford,  gently.  "What's 
your  answer,  Tom?     Don't  you  think  this_is  ja^ 
sort  of  duty-call  to  you ?" 

"A  duty-call?"  repeated  the  young  inventor.  ^ 

"Yes.  Of  course  I  realize  that  it  isn't  like  S 
soldier's  call  to  battle,  but  Uncle  Sam  needs  you 
just  the  same.  When  there  is  a  war  the  soldiers 
are  called  on  to  repel  an  enemy.  Now  the  smug- 
glers are  just  as  much  an  enemy  of  the  United 

57 


5g  TOM  S  W 1 FT  AND  HIS  GREA  T  SEARCHLIGHT* 

States,  in  a  certain  way,  as  an  armed  invader 
would  be. 

'"'  *One  strikes  at  the  life  and  liberty  of  the 
people,  while  the  smugglers  try  to  cheat  Uncle 
Sam  out  of  money  that  is  due  him.  I'm  not 
going  to  enter  into  a  discussion  as  to  the  right  of 
the  government  to  impose  duties.  People  have 
their  own  opinion  as  to  that.  But,  as  long  as 
the  law  says  certain  duties  are  to  be  collected,  it 
is  the  duty  of  every  citizen,  not  only  to  pay  those 
dues,  but  to  help  collect  them.  That's  what  I'm 
asking  you  to  do,  Tom. 

>— "I  don't  want  to  get  prosy,  or  deliver  a  lecture 
on  the  work  of  the  custom  house,  Tom,  but, 
honestly,  I  think  it  is  a  duty  you  owe  to  your 
country  to  help  catch  these  smugglers.  I  admit 
I'm  at  the  end  of  my  rope.  This  last  clew  has 
failed.  The  Fogers  seem  to  be  innocent  of  wrong 

'  (Jping.     We  need  your  help,  Tom. " 
"But  I  don't  see  how  I  can  help  you." 
"Of  course  you  can!     You're  an  expert  with 
airships.     The  smugglers  are  using  airships,  of 
that  I'm  sure.     You  tell  me  you  have  just  per- 
fected a  noiseless  aircraft.    That  will  be  just  the 
thing.     You  can  hover  on  the  border,  near  the 
line  dividing  New  York  State  from  Canada,  or 
near  the  St.  Lawrence,  which  is  the  natural  divi- 
sion for  a  certain  distance,  and  when  you  see 


A  SEARCHLIGHT  IS  NEEDED  59 

an  airship  coming  along  you  can  slip  up  in  your 
noiseless  one,  overhaul  it,  and  make  them  submit 
to  a  search." 

"But  I  won't  have  any  authority  to  do  that," 
objected  Tom,  who  really  did  not  care  for  the, 
commission. 

"Oh,  I'll  see  that  you  get  the  proper  authority 
all  right,"  said  Mr.  Whitford  significantly.  "I 
made  you  a  temporary  deputy  to-night,  but  if 
you'll  undertake  this  work,  to  catch  the  smug- 
glers in  their  airships,  you  will  be  made  a  regular 
custom  official." 

"Yes,  but  supposing  I  can't  catch  them?"  in- 
terposed our  hero.  "They  may  have  very  fast 
airships,  and " 

"I  guess  you'll  catch  'em  all  right!"  put  in 
Ned,  who  was  at  his  chum's  side  as  they  walked 
along  a  quiet  Shopton  street  in  the  darkness, 
"There's  not  an  aeroplane  going  that  can  beat 
yours,  Tom." 

"Well,  perhaps  I  could  get  them,"  admitted  the 
younp"  inventor.  "But " 

"Then  you'll  undertake  this  work  for  Uncle 
Sam?"  interrupted  Mr.  Whitford  eagerly. 
"Come,  Tom,  I  know  you  will." 

"I'm  not  so  sure  of  that,"  spoke  Tom.  "It 
isn't  going  to  be  as  easy  as  you  think.  There  are 
many  difficulties  in  the  way.  In  the  first  place 


00     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREA T  SEARCHLIGHT 

the  smuggling  may  be  done  over  such  a  wide 
area  that  it  would  need  a  whole  fleet  of  airships 
to  capture  even  one  of  the  others,  for  they  might 
choose  a  most  unfrequented  place  to  cross  the 
border." 

"Oh,  we  would  be  in  communication  with  you," 
said  the  agent.  "We  can  come  pretty  near  tell- 
ing where  the  contrabrand  goods  will  be  shipped 
from,  but  the  trouble  is,  after  we  get  our  tips, 
we  can't  get  to  the  place  before  they  have  flown 
away.  But  with  your  airship,  you  could  catch 
them,  after  we  sent  you,  say  a  wireless  message, 
about  where  to  look  for  them.  So  that's  no  ob- 
jection. You  have  a  wireless  outfit  on  your  air- 
ships, haven't  you,  Tom?" 

"Yes,  that  part  is  all  right." 

"Then  you  can't  have  any  more  objections, 
Tom." 

"Well,  there  are  some.  For  instance  you  say 
most  of  this  smuggling  is  done  at  night." 

"Practically  all  of  it,  yes." 

"Well,  it  isn't  going  to  be  easy  to  pick  out  a 

contraband   airship   in  the  dark,   and  chase  it. 

/But  I'll  tell  you  what  I'll  do,  Mr.  Whitford.     I 

feel  as  if  I  had  sort  of  'fallen  down'  on  this  clew 

1    business,  as  the  newspaper  men  say,  and  I  owe  it 

you  to  make  good  in  some  way." 

"That's  what  I  want— not  that  I  think  you 


A  SEARCHLIGHT  IS  NEEDED  £f 

haven't  done  all  you  could,"  interposed  the  agent. 

"Well,  if  I  can  figure  out  some  way,  by  which*""" 
I  think  I  can  come  anywhere  near  catching  these 
smugglers,  I'll  undertake  the  work!"  exclaimed 
Tom.  "I'll  do  it  as  a  duty  to  Uncle  Sam,  and  I 
don't  want  any  reward  except  my  expenses.  It's 
going  to  cost  considerable,  but "  +** 

"Don't  mind  the  expense!"  interrupted  Mr. 
Whitford.  "Uncle  Sam  will  stand  that.  Why, 
the  government  is  losing  thousands  of  dollars 
every  week.  It's  a  big  leak,  and  must  be  stopped, 
and  you're  the  one  to  stop  it,  Tom." 

"Well,  I'll  try.  I'll  see  you  in  a  couple  of 
days,  and  let  you  know  if  I  have  formed  any 
plan.  Now  come  on,  Ned.  I'm  tired  and  want 
to  get  to  bed." 

"So  do  I,"  added  the  agent.  "I'll  call  on  you 
day  after  to-morrow,  Tom,  and  I  expect  you  to 
get  right  on  the  job,"  he  added  with  a  laugh. 

"Have  you  any  idea  what  you  are  going  to  do, 
Tom?"  asked  his  chum,  as  they  turned  toward 
their  houses. 

"Not  exactly,  If  I  go  I'll  use  my  noiseless 
airship.  That  will  come  in  handy.  But  this  night 
business  rather  stumps  me.  I  don't  quite  see  my 
way  to  get  around  that.  Of  course  I  could  use 
an  ordinary  searchlight,  but  that  doesn't  give  a 
bright  enough  beam,  or  ^arry  far  enough.  It'* 


§2     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

going  to  be  quite  a  problem  and  I've  got  to  thinR 

it  over." 

"Queer  about  the  Fogers;  wasn't  it,  Tom?" 
"Yes,  I  didn't  think  they  were  going  to  let  us 


in." 


"There's  something  going  on  there,  in  spite  of 
the  fact  that  they  were  willing  for  an  inspection 
to  be  made,"  went  on  Ned. 

"I  agree  with  you.  I  thought  it  was  funny 
the  way  Mr.  Foger  acted  about  not  wanting  the 
men  to  go  down  in  the  cellar. " 

"So  did  I,  and  yet  when  they  got  down  there 
they  didn't  find  anything." 

"That's  so.  Well,  maybe  we're  on  the  wrong 
track,  after  all.  But  I'm  going  to  keep  my  eyes 
open.  I  don't  see  what  Andy  wants  with 
an  airship  platform  on  the  roof  of  his  house. 
The  ground  is  good  enough  to  start  from  and 
land  on." 

"I  should  think  so,  too.  But  then  Andy] 
<  always  did  like  to  show  off,  and  do  things  differ- 
\  ent  from  anybody  else.  Maybe  it's  that  way; 
^now." 

"Perhaps,"  agreed  Tom.     "Well,  here's  your 
house,  Ned.     Come  over  in  the  morning,"  and, 
k  |  with  a  good-night,  our  hero  left  his  chum,  pro- 

'-*->**&/  Deeding  on  toward  his  own  home. 

"Why,  Koku,  haven't  you  gone  to  bed  yet?" 


A  SEARCHLIGHT  IS  NEEDED  63 

asked  the  young  inventor,  as,  mounting  the  side 
steps,  he  saw  his  giant  servant  sitting  there  or. 
a  bench  he  had  made  especially  for  his  own  use, 
as  ordinary  chairs  were  not  substantial  enough. 
"What  is  the  matter?" 

"Nothing  happen  yet"  spoke  Koku  signifi- 
cantly, "but  maybe  he  come  pretty  soon,  and  then 
I  get  him." 

"Get  who,  Koku?"  asked  Tom,  with  quick 
suspicion. 

"I  do  not  know,  but  Eradicate  say  he  hear 
someone  sneaking  around  his  chicken  coop,  an& 
I  think  maybe  it  be  same  man  who  was  here  once 
before." 

"Oh,  you  mean  the  rivals,  who  were  trying  to 
get  my  moving  picture  camera?" 

"That's  what!"  exclaimed  Koku. 

"Hum!"  mused  Tom.  "I  must  be  on  the  look- 
out. I'll  tell  you  what  I'll  do,  Koku.  I'll  set  my 
automatic  camera  to  take  the  moving  pictures  of 
any  one  who  tries  to  get  in  my  shop,  or  in  the 
chicken  coop.  I'll  also  set  the  burglar  alarm. 
But  you  may  also  stay  on  the  watch,  and  if  any- 
thing happens " 

"If  anything  happens,  I  will  un-happen  him!" 
exclaimed  the  giant,  brandishing  a  big  club  he  had 
ibeside  him. 

"All  right,"  laughed  Tom.     "I'm  sleepy,  and 


64     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREA T  SEARCHLIGHT, 

Fm  going  to  bed,  but  I'll  set  the  automatic  camera, 
and  fix  it  with  fuse  flashlights,  so  they  will  go 
off  if  the  locks  are  even  touched." 

This  Tom  did,  fixing  up  the  wizard  camera, 
which  I  have  told  you  about  in  the  book  bearing 
that  title.  It  would  take  moving  pictures  auto- 
matically, once  Tom  had  set  the  mechanism  to 
unreel  the  films  back  of  the  shutter  and  lens. 
[The  lights  would  instantly  flash,  when  the  elec- 
trical connections  on  the  door  locks  were  tam- 
pered with,  and  the  pictures  would  be  taken. 

Then  Tom  set  the  burglar  alarm,  and,  before 
going  to  bed  he  focused  a  searchlight,  from  one 
of  his  airships,  on  the  shed  and  chicken  coop, 
fastening  it  outside  his  room  window. 

s  There!"  he  exclaimed,  as  he  got  ready1  to  turn 
in,  not  having  awakened  the  rest  of  the  house- 
hold, "when  the  burglar  alarm  goes  off,  if  it  does, 
it  will  also  start  the  searchlight,  and  I'll  get  a  view 
of  who  the  chicken  thief  is.  I'll  also  get  some 
pictures." 

Then,  thinking  over  the  events  of  the  evening, 
and  wondering  if  he  would  succeed  in  his  fight 
with  the  smugglers,  providing  he  undertook  it, 
Torn  fell  asleep. 

It  must  have  been  some  time  after  midnight 
that  he  was  awakened  by  the  violent  ringing  of 
a  bell  at  his  ear.  At  first  he  thought  it  was 


A  SEARCHLIGHT  IS  NEEDED  6$ 

call  to  breakfast,  and  he  leaped  from  bed  crying 
out: 

"Yes,  Mrs.  Baggert,  I'm  coming!" 

A  moment  later  he  realized  what  it  was. 

"The  burglar  alarm!"  he  cried.  "Koku  arg 
you  there?  Someone  is  trying  to  get  into  the 
chicken  coop!"  for  a  glance  at  the  automatic  in- 
dicator, in  connection  with  the  alarm,  had  shown 
Tom  that  the  henhouse,  and  not  his  shop,  had 
been  the  object  of  attack. 

"I  here!"  cried  Koku.    "I  got  him!" 

A  series  of  startled  cries  bore  eloquent  testi- 
mony to  this. 

"I'm  coming!"  cried  Tom.  And  then  he  saw 
a  wonderful  sight.  The  whole  garden,  his  shopt 
t\ie  henhouse  and  all  the  surrounding  territory 
was  lighted  up  with  a  radiance  almost  like  day- 
light. The  beams  of  illumination  came  from  the 
searchlight  Tom  had  fixed  outside  his  window, 
but  never  before  had  the  lantern  given  such  a 
glow. 

"That's  wonderful!"  cried  Tom,  as  he  ran  to 
examine  it.  "What  has  happened?  I  never  had 
such  a  powerful  beam  before.  There  must  be 
something  that  I  have  stumbled  on  by  accident. 
Say,  that  is  a  light  all  right!  Why  it  goes  for 
miles  and  miles,  and  I  never  projected  a  beam 
as  far  as  this  before." 


66     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREA  T  SEARCHLIGHT 

As  Tom  looked  into  a  circle  of  violet-colored 
glass  set  in  the  side  of  the  small  searchlight,  to 
see  what  had  caused  the  extraordinary  glow,  he 
could  observe  nothing  out  of  the  ordinary.  The 
violet  glass  was  to  protect  the  eyes  from  the  glare. 

"It  must  be  that,  by  accident,  I  made  some  new 
•connection  at  the  dynamo,"  murmured  Tom. 

"Hi!  Lemme  go!  Lemme  go,  Massa  giant! 
I  ain't  done  nuffin' ! "  yelled  a  voice. 

"I  got  you!"  cried  Koku. 

"It's  an  ordinary  chicken  thief  this  time  I 
guess,"  said  Tom.  "But  this  light — this  great 
searchlight " 

Then  a  sudden  thought  came  to  him. 

"By  Jove!"  he  cried.  "If  I  can  find  out  the 
secret  of  how  I  happened  to  project  such  a  beam, 
it  will  be  the  very  thing  to  focus  on  the  smugglers 
from  my  noiseless  airship !  That's  what  I  need — 
a  searchlight  such  as  never  before  has  been  made 
—a  terrifically  powerful  one.  And  I've  got  it, 
if  I  can  only  find  out  just  how  it  happened.  I've 
got  to  look  before  the  current  dies  out." 

Leaving  the  brilliant  beams  on  in  full  blast, 
Tom  ran  down  the  stairs  to  get  to  his  shop,  from 
which  the  electrical  power  came. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

TOM'S  NEWEST  INVENTION 

"I  GOT  him,  Mr.  Tom!" 

"Oh,  please,  good  Massa  Swift!  Make  him 
leggo  me !  He  suah  am  squeezin'  de  liber  outer 
me!" 

"Shall  I  conflict  the  club  upon  him,  Mr.  Tom?" 

It  was  Koku  who  asked  this  last  question,  as 
Tom  came  running  toward  the  giant.  In  the 
strange  glare  from  the  searchlight,  the  young  in- 
ventor saw  his  big  servant  holding  tightly  to  a 
rather  small,  colored  man,  while  the  camera, 
which  was  focused  full  on  them,  was  clicking 
away  at  a  great  rate,  taking  picture  after  picture 
on  the  roll  of  films. 

"No,  don't  inflict  nor  conflict  the  club  on  him, 
Koku,"  advised  Tom.  "Who  is  he?" 

"I  don't  know,  Mr.  Tom.  I  was  in  hiding,  in 
the  darkness,  waiting  for  him  to  come  back.  He 
had  been  here  once  before  in  the  evening,  Eradi- 
cate says.  Well,  he  came  while  I  was  waiting 
and  I  detained  him.  Then  the  lights  went  up. 
They  are  very  bright  lights,  Mr.  Tom." 

67 


68     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

"Yes,  brighter  than  I  expected  they  would  be. 
I  must  look  and  see  what  causes  it.  So  you  de- 
tained him,  did  you,  Koku?" 

i    ,  irr 

"Yes,  and  what  exposition  shall  I  make  of 
'him?" 

T^What  disposition?"  corrected  Tom,  with  a 
laugh.    "Well,  did  he  get  any  chickens,  Koku?" 

"Oh,  no,  I  was  too  tight  for  him." 
'  "Oh,  you  mean  too  fast,  or  quick.    Well,  if  he 
didn't  get  any,  I  guess  you  might  let  him  go.    I 
have  too  much  to  attend  to,  to  bother  with  him." 

"Oh,  bress  yo'  for  dat,  Massa  Tom!"  cried  the 
negro,  whom  Tom  recognized  as  a  worthless 
cFafacterafe5€trthe  town.  "Tduin't  go  to7  to  do 


nuffinr,  Massa  Tom.  I  were  jest  goin'  t'  look  in 
de  coop,  t'  count  an'  see  how  many  fowls  mah 
friend  Eradicate  had,  an'  den " 

"Yes,  and  then  I  tie  you!"  broke  in  Koku. 

"You  collared  him,  I  guess  you  mean  to  say," 
spoke  Tom  with  a  laugh.  "Well,  I  guess,  Sam," 
speaking  to  the  negro,  "if  you  had  counted  Rad's 
chickens  he  couldn't  have  counted  as  many  in 
the  morning.  But  be  off,  and  don't  come  around 
again,  or  you  might  have  to  count  the  bars  in  a 
jail  cell  for  a  change." 

"Bress  yo'  honey.    I  won't  neber  come  back.*8 

"Shall  release  him?"  asked  Koku  doubtfully;.. 

"Yes,"  said  Tom. 


TOM'S  NEWEST  INVENTION  £g 

"And  not  reflict  the  club  on  him?" 

The  giant  raised  his  club  longingly. 

"Oh,  Massa  Tom,  protect  me!"  cried  Sam. 

"No,  don't  even  reflect  the  club  on  him,"  ad- 
vised the  young  inventor  with  a  laugh.  "He 
hasn't  done  any  harm,  and  he  may  have  been  the 
means  of  a  great  discovery.  Remember  Sam," 
Tom  went  on  sternly,  "I  have  your  picture,  as 
you  were  trying  to  break  into  the  coop,  and  if  you 
come  around  again,  I'll  use  it  as  evidence  against 
you." 

"Oh,  I  won't  come*  Not  as  long  as  dat  giant 
am  heah,  anyhow,"  said  the  negro  earnestly. 
"Besides,  I  were  only  goin'  t'  count  Eradicated 
chickens,  t'  see  ef  he  had  as  many  as  I  got." 

"All  right,"  responded  Tom.  "Now,  Koku, 
you  may  escort  him  off  the  premises,  and  be  on 
the  lookout  the  rest  of  the  night,  off  and  OIL 
Where's  Rad?" 

"He  has  what  he  says  is  Me  misery*  in  hiS\ 
back  so  that  he  had  to  go  to  bed,"  explained  the  " 
giant,  to  account  for  the  faithful  colored  man 
not  having  responded  to  the  alarm. 

"All  right,  get  rid  of  Sam,  and  then  come 
back." 

As  Tom  turned  to  go  in  his  shop  he  saw  his 
aged  father  coming  slowly  toward  him.  Mr.. 
Swift  had  hastily  dressed. 


70     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREA T  SEARCHLIGHT 

"What  is  the  matter,  Tom?"  he  asked.  "Has 
anything  happened?  I  heard  your  alarm  go  off, 
and  I  came  as  quickly  as  I  could." 

"Nothing  much  has  happened,  father,  except- 
ing a  chicken  thief.  But  something  great  may 
come  of  it.  Do  you  notice  that  searchlight,  and 
how  powerful  it  is?" 

"I  do,  Tom.  I  never  knew  you  had  one  as 
big  as  that." 

"Neither  did  I,  and  I  haven't,  really.  That's 
one  of  my  smallest  ones,  but  something  seems  to 
have  happened  to  it  to  make  it  throw  out  a  beam 
like  that.  I'm  just  going  to  look.  Come  on  in 
the  shop." 

f  JThe  two  inventors,  young  and  old,  entered,  and 
lorn  quickly  crossed  to  where  the  wires  from  the 
automatic  dynamo,  extended  to  the  searchlight 

outside  the  window  of  his  room. v  He  made  a 

•  *  • 
quick  inspection. 

"Look,  father!"  he  cried.  "The  alternating 
current  from  the  automatic  dynamo  has  become 
crossed  with  direct  current  from  the  big  storage 
battery  in  a  funny  way.  It  must  have  been  by 
accident,  for  never  in  the  world  would  I  think  of 
connecting  up  in  that  fashion.  I  would  have  said 
it  would  have  made  a  short  circuit  at  once. 

"But  it  hasn't.  On  the  contrary,  it  has  given 
a  current  of  peculiar  strength  and  intensity — a 


TOM'S  NEWEST  INVENTION  yi 

current  that  would  seem  to  be  made  especially  for 
searchlights.  Dad,  I'm  on  the  edge  of  a  big  dis- 
covery. " 

"I  believe  you,  Tom,"  said  his  father.  "That 
certainly  is  a  queer  way  for  wires  to  be  connected. 
How  do  you  account  for  it?" 

"I  can't.  That  is  unless  some  one  meddled 
with  the  connections  after  I  made  them.  That 
must  be  it.  I'll  ask  Rad  and  Koku."  Just  then 
the  giant  came  in.  "Koku,  did  you  touch  the 
•wires?"  asked  Tom. 

"Well,  Mr.  Tom,  I  didn't  mean  to.  I  accident- 
ally pulled  one  out  a  while  ago,  when  I  was  wait- 
ing for  the  thief  to  come,  but  I  put  it  right  back 
again.  I  hope  I  did  no  damage." 

"No,  on  the  contrary,  you  did  a  fine  thing,  _ 
Koku.     I  never  would  have  dared  make  such     I 
connections  myself,  but  you,  not  knowing  any 
better,  did  just  the  right  thing  to  make  an  almost     J 
perfect   searchlight   current.      It   is   wonderful  T'^ 
Probably  for  any  other  purpose  such  a  current 
would  be  useless,  but  it  is  just  the  thing  for  a 
great  light." 

"And  why  do  you  need  such  a  powerful  light, 
Tom?"  asked  Mr.  Swift.  "Why,  it  is  of  extra- 
ordinary brilliancy,  and  it  goes  for  several  miles. 
Look  how  plainly  you  can  pick  out  the  trees  on 
Nob's  Hill,"  and  he  pointed  to  an  elevation  some! 


72     TOM  S  WIFT  AND  HIS  GREA  T  SEARCHLIGHT 

distance  away  from  the  Swift  homestead,  across 
the  woods  and  meadows. 

"I  believe  I  could  see  a  bird  perched  there,  if 
there  was  one!"  exclaimed  Tom  enthusiastically. 
"That  certainly  is  a  wonderful  light.  With  larg- 
er carbons,  better  parobolic  mirrors,  a  different 
resistance  box,  better  connections,  and  a  more 
powerful  primary  current  there  is  no  reason  why 
I  could  not  get  a  light  that  would  make  objects 
more  plainly  visible  than  in  the  daytime,  even  in 
the  darkest  night,  and  at  a  great  distance." 
X"But  wnat  would  be  the  object  of  such  a  light, 
Tom?" 

"To  play  upon  the  smugglers,  dad,  and  catch 
them  as  they  come  over  the  border  in  the  airship." 

"Smugglers,  Tom!  You  don't  mean  to  tell  me 
you  are  going  away  again,  and  after  smugglers?" 

"Well,  dad,  I've  had  an  offer,  and  I  think  I'll 
take~if.~  There7 s^io~money  In  it,  but  I  think  it  is 
my  duty  to  3o  my  best  for  TTncle  Sam7~The  one_J 


thing  that  bothered  me  was  how  to  get  a  view 
of  the  airship  at  night.  This  searchlight  has 
solved  the  problem — that  is  if  I  can  make  a  per- 
manent invention  of  this  accident,  and  I  think  I 
can." 

"Oh,  Tom,  I  hate  to  think  of  you  going  away; 
from  home  again,"  said  his  father  a  bit  sadly. 

worry,  father.    I'm  not  going  far  this 


TOM'S  NEWEST  INVENTION 


73 


time.  Only  to  the  Canadian  border,  and  that's 
only  a  few  hundred  miles.  But  I  want  to  see  if 
I  can  shut  the  current  off,  and  turn  it  on  again.  . 
When  a  thing  happens  by  accident  you  never; 
know  whether  you  can  get  just  exactly  the  same 
conditions  again." 

Tom  shut  off  the  current  from  the  dynamo, 
and  the  powerful  beam  of  light  died  out.  Then 
he  turned  it  on  once  more,  and  it  glowed  as 
brightly  as  before.  He  did  this  several  times, 
and  each  time  it  was  a  success. 

"Hurrah!"  cried  Tom.  "To-morrow  I'll  start 
On  my  latest  invention,  a  great  searchlight!" 


CHAPTER  IX 
"BEWARE  OF  THE  COMET!" 

"WELL,  Tom,  what  are  you  up  to  now?" 

Ned  Newton  peered  in  the  window  of  the  shop 
at  his  chum,  who  was  busy  over  a  bench. 

"This  is  my  latest  invention,  Ned.  Come  on 
In." 

"Looks  as  though  you  were  going  to  give  a 
magic  lantern  show.  Or  is  it  for  some  new 
kinds  of  moving  pictures?  Say,  do  you  remem- 
ber the  time  we  gave  a  show  in  the  barn,  and 
charged  a  nickel  to  come  in?  You  were  the 
clown,  and " 

"I  was  not!  You  were  the  clown.  I  was  part 
of  the  elephant.  The  front  end,  I  think." 

"Oh,  so  you  were.  I'm  thinking  of  another 
one.  But  what  are  you  up  to  now?  Is  it  a  big 
magic  lantern?" 

Ned  came  over  toward  the  bench,  in  front  of 
which  Tom  stood,  fitting  together  sheets  of  heavy 
brass  in  the  form  of  a  big  square  box.  In  one 
side  there  was  a  circular  opening,  and  there  were 

74 


'BEWARE  OF  THE  COMET!" 


75 


yarious  wheels  and  levers  on  the  different  sides 
and  on  top.  The  interior  contained  parobolic 
curved  mirrors.  ^ 

"It's  a  sort  of  a  lantern,  and  I  hope  it's  going 
,to  do  some  magic  work,"  explained  Tom  with  a 
smile.  But  it  isn't  the  kind  of  magic  lantern  you 
mean.  It  won't  throw  pictures  on  a  screen,  but  it 
may  show  some  surprising  pictures  to  us — that 
is  if  you  come  along,  and  I  think  you  will." 

"Talking  riddles ;  eh  ?"  laughed  Ned.  "What's 
the  answer?" 

"Smugglers." 

"I  thought  you  were  talking  about  a  lantern." 

"So  I  am,  and  it's  the  lantern  that's  going  to 
show  up  the  smugglers,  so  you  can  call  it  a  smug- 
gler's magic  lantern  if  you  like," 

"Then  you're  going  after  them?" 

This  conversation  took  place  several  days 
after  the  raid  on  the  Foger  house,  and  after 
Tom's  accidental  discovery  of  how  to  make  a  new 
kind  of  searchlight.  In  the  meantime  he  had  not 
seen  Ned,  who  had  been  away  on  a  visit. 

"Yes,  I've  made  up  my  mind  to  help  Uncle 
Sam,"  spoke  Tom,  "and  this  is  one  of  the  things 
I'll  need  in  my  work.  It's  going  to  be  the  most 
powerful  searchlight  ever  made — that  is,  I  never 
heard  of  any  portable  electric  lights  that  will  beat 
it" 


y5     TOM  S  WIFT  AND  HIS  GREA  T  SEARCHLIGHT 

"What  do  you  mean,  Tom?" 

"I  mean  that  I'm  inventing  a  new  kind  of 
searchlight,  Ned.  One  that  I  can  carry  with  me 
on  my  new  noiseless  airship,  and  one  that  will 
give  a  beam  of  light  that  will  be  visible  for  sev- 
eral miles,  and  which  will  make  objects  in  its 
focus  as  plain  as  if  viewed  by  daylight." 

"And  it's  to  show  up  the  smugglers?" 

"That's  what.  That  is  it  will  if  we  can  get  on 
the  track  of  them." 

"But  what  did  you  mean  when  you  said  it 
would  be  the  most  powerful  portable  light  ever 
made." 

"Just  what  I  said.  I've  got  to  carry  this  search- 
light on  an  airship  with  me,  and,  in  consequence, 
it  can't  be  very  heavy.  Of  course  there  are  sta- 
tionary searchlights,  such  lights  as  are  in  light- 
houses, that  could  beat  mine  all  to  pieces  for 
candle  power,  and  for  long  distance  visibility. 
But  they  are  the  only  ones." 

"That's  the  way  to  do  things,  Tom!  Say,  I'm 
going  with  you  all  right  after  those  smugglers. 
But  where  are  some  of  those  powerful  stationary 
searchlights  you  speak  of?" 

"Oh,  there  are  lots  of  them.  One  was  in  the 
Eiffle  Tower,  during  the  Paris  Exposition.  I 
didn't  see  that,  but  I  have  read  about  it.  Another 
is  in  one  of  the  twin  lighthouses  at  the  High- 


"BEWARE  OF  THE  COMET!9'  77 

lands,  on  the  Atlantic  coast  of  New  Jersey,  just 
above  Asbury  Park.  That  light  is  of  ninety-five 
million  candle  power,  and  the  lighthouse  keeper*, 
there  told  me  it  was  visible,  on  a  clear  night,  as 
far  as  the  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  lighthouse, 
a  distance  of  fifty  miles." 

"Fifty  miles!  That's  some  light!"  gasped 
Ned. 

"Well,  you  must  remember  that  the  Highlands 
light  is  up  on  a  very  high  hill,  and  the  tower  is 
also  high,  so  there  is  quite  an  elevation,  and  then 
think  of  ninety-five  million  candle  power — think 
of  it!" 

"I  can't!"  cried  Ned.  "It  gives  me  a  head- 
ache." 

"Well,  of  course  I'm  not  going  to  try  to  beat 
that,"  went  on  Tom  with  a  laugh,  "but  I  am 
going  to  have  a  very  powerful  light."  And  he 
then  related  how  he  had  accidently  discovered  a 
new  way  to  connect  the  wires,  so  as  to  get,  from 
a  dynamo  and  a  storage  battery  a  much  stronger, 
and  different,  currenfe^than  usual. 

"I'm  making  the  searchlight  now,"  Tom  con-' 
tinued,  "and  soon  I'll  be  ready  to  put  in  the  lens, 
and  the  carbons." 

"And  then  what?" 

"Then  I'm  going  to  attach  it  to  my  noiseless 
airship,  and  we'll  have  a  night  flight.  It  may 


78     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

work,  and  it  may  not.  If  it  does,  I  think  we'll 
have  some  astonishing  results." 

"I  think  we  will,  Tom.  Can  I  do  anything  to 
help  you?" 

"Yes,  file  some  of  the  rough  edges  off  these 
sheets  of  brass,  if  you  will.  There's  an  old  pair 
of  gloves  to  put  on  to  protect  your  hands,  other- 
wise you'll  be  almost  sure  to  cut  'em,  when  the 
file  slips.  That  brass  is  extra  hard." 

The  two  boys  were  soon  working  away,  and 
were  busy  over  the  big  lantern  when  Mr.  Whit- 
ford  came  along.  Koku  was,  as  usual,  on  guard 
at  the  outer  door  of  the  shop,  but  he  knew  the 
custom  officer,  and  at  once  admitted  him. 

"Well,  Tom,  how  you  coming  on?"  he  asked. 

"Pretty  good.  I  think  I've  got  just  what  I 
want.  A  powerful  light  for  night  work." 

"That's  good.  You'll  need  it.  They've  got 
so  they  only  smuggle  the  goods  over  in  the  night 
now.  How  soon  do  you  think  you'll  be  able  to 
get  on  the  border  for  Uncle  Sam?" 

"Why,  is  there  any  great  rush?"  asked  Tom, 
as  he  noticed  a  look  of  annoyance  pass  over  the 
agent's  face. 

"Yes,  the  smugglers  have  been  hitting  us  pretty 
hard  lately.  My  superiors  are  after  me  to  do 
something,  but  I  can't  seem  to  do  it.  My  men  are 
working  hard,  but  we  can't  catch  the  rascals. 


"BEWARE  OF  THE  COMET!9'  79 

"You  see,  Tom,  they've  stopped,  temporarily, 
bringing  goods  over  the  St.  Lawrence.  They're 
working  now  in  the  neighborhood  of  Huntington, 
Canada,  and  the  dividing  line  between  the  British 
possessions  and  New  York  State,  runs  along  solid 
ground  there.  It's  a  wild  and  desolate  part  of  I 
country,  too,  and  I  haven't  many  men  up  there." 

"Don't  the  Canadian  custom  officers  help?" 
asked  Ned. 

"Well,  they  haven't  been  of  any  aid  to  us  so 
far,"  was  the  answer.  "No  doubt  they  are  try- 
ing, but  it's  hard  to  get  an  airship  at  night  when 
you're  on  the  ground,  and  can't  even  see  it." 

"How  did  they  come  to  use  airships?"  asked 
Tom. 

"Well,  it  was  because  we  were  too  sharp  after 
them  when  they  tried  to  run  things  across  the  line 
afoot,  or  by  wagons,"  replied  the  agent.  "You 
must  know  that  in  every  principal  city,  at  or  near 
the  border  line,  there  is  a  custom  house.  Goods 
brought  from  Canada  to  the  United  States  must 
pass  through  there  and  pay  a  duty. 

"Of  course  if  lawless  people  try  to  evade  the 
duty  they  don't  go  near  the  custom  house.  But 
there  are  inspectors  stationed  at  the  principal 
roads  leading  from  the  Dominion  into  Uncle 
Sam's  territory,  and  they  are  always  on  the  look- 
out They  patrol  the  line,  sometimes  through  a 


So     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

dense  wilderness,  and  again  over  a  desolate  plain, 
.always  on  the  watch.  If  they  see  persons  cross- 
ing the  line  they  stop  them  and  examine  what 
they  have.  If  there  is  nothing  dutiable  they  are 
allowed  to  pass.  If  they  have  goods  on  which 
there  is  a  tax,  they  either  have  to  pay  or  surren- 
der the  goods." 

"But  don't  the  smugglers  slip  over  in  spite  of 
all  the  precautions?"  asked  Ned.  "Say  at  some 
lonely  ravine,  or  stretch  of  woods?" 

"I  suppose  they  do,  occasionally,"  replied  Mr. 
Whitford.  Yet  the  fact  that  they  never  can  tell 
when  one  of  the  inspectors  or  deputies  is  coming 
along,  acts  as  a  stop.  You  see  the  border  line  is 
divided  up  into  stretches  of  different  lengths.  A 
Certain  man,  or  men,  are  held  responsible  for  each 
division.  They  must  see  that  no  smugglers  pass. 
That  makes  them  on  the  alert. 

"Why,  take  it  out  west,  I  have  a  friend  who 
told  me  that  he  often  travels  hundreds  of  miles 
on  horseback,  with  pack  ponies  carrying  his  camp- 
ing outfit,  patroling  the  border  on  the  lookout  for 
^smugglers. 

"In  fact  Uncle  Sam  has  made  it  so  hard  for 
the  ordinary  smuggler  to  do  business  on  foot  or 
by  wagon,  that  these  fellows  have  taken  to  air- 
ships. And  it  is  practically  impossible  for  an 
inspector  patroling  the  border  to  b£  aa  the  look- 


''BEWARE  OF  THE  COMET!9'  Si 

<~*\ 
out  for  the  craft  of  the  air.    Even  if  they  saw 

them,  what  could  they  do?  It  would  be  out  of 
the  question  to  stop  them.  That's  why  we  need 
some  one  with  a  proper  machine  who  can  chase 
after  them,  who  can  sail  through  the  air,  and 
give  them  a  fight  in  the  clouds  if  they  have  to.  / 

"Our  custom  houses  on  the  ground,  and  6uf 
inspectors  on  horse  back,  traveling  along  the  bor- 
der, can't  meet  the  issue.  We're  depending  on 
you,  Tom  Swift,  and  I  hope  you  don't  disap- 
point us."  

"Well,"  spoke  Tom,  when  Mr.  Whitford  had 
finished.  "I'll  do  my  best  for  you.  It  won't  take 
very  long  to  complete  my  searchlight,  and  then 
I'll  give  it  a  trial.  My  airship  is  ready  for  ser- 
vice, and  once  I  find  we're  all  right  I'll  start  for 
the  border." 

"Good!  And  I  hope  you'll  catch  the  rascals!" 
fervently  exclaimed  the  custom  official.  "Well, 
Tom,  I'm  leaving  it  all  to  you.  Here  are  some 
reports  from  my  deputies.  I'll  leave  them  with 
you,  and  you  can  look  them  over,  and  map  out  a 
campaign.  When  you  are  ready  to  start  I'll  see 
you  again,  and  give  you  any  last  news  I  have. 
I'll  also  arrange  so  that  you  can  communicate 
with  me,  or  some  of  my  men." 

"Have  you  given  up  all  suspicion  of  the 
Fogers?"  asked  the  young  inventor. 


$2     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREA  T  SEARCHLIGHT. 

"Yes.  But  I  still  think  Shopton  is  somehow 
involved  in  the  custom  violations.  I'm  going  to 
put  one  of  my  best  men  on  the  ground  here,  and 
go  to  the  border  myself." 

"Well,  I'll  be  ready  to  start  in  a  few  days,* 
said  Tom,  as  the  government  agent  departed. 

For  the  next  week  our  hero  and  his  chum  were 
busy  completing  work  on  the  great  searchlight, 
and  in  attaching  it  to  the  airship.  Koku  helped 
them,  but  little  of  the  plans,  or  of  the  use  to  which 
the  big  lantern  was  to  be  put,  were  made  known 
to  him,  for  Koku  liked  to  talk,  and  Tom  did  not 
want  his  project  to  become  known. 

"Well,  we'll  give  her  a  trial  to-night,"  said 
Tom  one  afternoon,  following  a  day  of  hard 
work.  "We'll  go  up,  and  flash  the  light  down." 

"Who's  going?" 

"Just  us  two.  You  can  manage  the  ship,  and 
I'll  look  after  the  light." 

So  it  was  arranged,  and  after  supper  Tom  and 
his  chum,  having  told  Mr.  Swift  where  they  were 
going,  slipped  out  to  the  airship  shed,  and  soon 
were  ready  to  make  an  ascent.  The  big  lantern 
was  fastened  to  a  shaft  that  extended  above  the 
main  cabin.  The  shaft  was  hollow,  and  through 
it  came  the  wires  that  carried  the  current.  Tom, 
from  the  cabin  below,  could  move  the  lantern  in 
any  direction,  and  focus  it  on  any  spot  he  pleased. 


-BEWARE  OF  THE  COMET!"  gj 

By  means  of  a  toggle  joint,  combined  with  what 
are  known  as  "lazy-tongs,"  the  lantern  could  be 
projected  over  the  side  of  the  aircraft  and  be 
made  to  gleam  on  the  earth,  directly  below  th«< 
ship. 

For  his  new  enterprise  Tom  used  the  Falco* 
in  which  he  had  gone  to  Siberia  after  the  plat- 
inum. The  new  noiseless  motor  had  been  in- 
stalled in  this  craft. 

"All  ready,  Ned?"  asked  Tom  after  an  in- 
spection of  the  searchlight. 

"All  ready,  as  far  as  I'm  concerned,  Tom." 

"Then  let  her  go!" 

Like  a  bird  of  the  night,  the  great  aeroplane 
shot  into  the  air,  and,  with  scarcely  a  sound  that 
could  be  heard  ten  feet  away,  she  moved  forward 
at  great  speed. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  first?"  asked  Ned 

"Fly  around  a  bit,  and  then  come  back  over 
my  house.  I'm  going  to  try  the  lantern  on  that 
first,  and  see  what  I  can  make  out  from  a  couple 
of  miles  up  in  the  air." 

Up  and  up  went  the  Falcon,  silently  and  power- 
fully, until  the  barograph  registered  nearly  four- 
teen thousand  feet. 

"This  is  high  enough,"  spoke  Tom. 

He  shifted  a  lever  that  brought  the  search- 
light into  focus  on  Shopton,  which  lay  below 


84     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

them.  Then,  turning  on  the  current,  a  powerful 
beam  of  light  gleamed  out  amid  the  blackness. 

"Jove!  That's  great!  "cried  Ned.  "It's  like  a 
shaft  of  daylight!" 

"That's  what  I  intended  it  to  be!"  cried  Tom 
in  delight. 

With  another  shifting  of  the  lever  he  brought 
the  light  around  so  that  it  began  to  pick  up  dif- 
ferent buildings  in  the  town. 

"There's  the  church!"  cried  Ned.  "It's  as  plain 
as  day,  in  that  gleam." 

vAnd  there's  the  railroad  depot,"  added  Tom. 

*And  Andy  Foger's  house!" 

"Yes,  and  there's  my  house!"  exclaimed  Tom 
a  moment  later,  as  the  beam  rested  on  his  resi- 
dence and  shops.  "Say,  it's  plainer  than  I  thought 
it  would  be.  "Hold  me  here  a  minute,  Ned." 

Ned  shut  off  the  power  from  the  propellers, 
and  the  airship  was  stationary.  Tom  took  a  pair 
of  binoculars,  andlooked  through  them  at  his 
house  in  the  focus  of  light. 

"I  can  count  the  bricks  in  the  chimney!"  he 
cried  in  eagerness  at  the  success  of  his  great 
searchlight.  "It's  even  better  than  I  thought  it 
was !  Let's  go  down,  Ned. " 

Slowly  the  airship  sank.  Tom  played  his  light 
all  about,  picking  up  building  after  building,  and 
one  familiar  spot  after  another.  Finally  he 


"BEWARE  OF  THE  COMET!" 


brought  the  beam  on  his  own  residence  again, 
when  not  far  above  it. 

Suddenly  there  arose  a  weird  cry.  Tom  and 
Ned  knew  at  once  that  it  was  Eradicate, 

"A  comet!  A  comet!"  yelled  the  colored  man. 
"De  end  ob  de  world  am  comin' !  Run,  chillens, 
run!  Beware  ob  de  comet!" 

"Eradicated  afraid!"  cried  Tom  with  a  laugh. 

"Oh  good  mistah  comet!  Doan't  take  me!" 
went  on  the  colored  man.  "I  ain't  neber  done 
nuffin',  an'  mah  mule  Boomerang  ain't  needer. 
But  ef  yo'  has  t'  take  somebody,  take  Boom- 
erang!" 

"Keep  quiet,  Rad!  It's  all  right!"  cried  Tom. 
But  the  colored  man  continued  to  shout  in  fear. 

Then,  as  the  two  boys  looked  on,  and  as  the 
airship  came  nearer  to  the  earth,  Ned,  who  was 
looking  down  amid  the  great  illumination,  called 
to  Tom  ? 

"LookatKoku!" 

Tom  glanced  over,  and  saw  his  giant  servantj 
with  fear  depicted  on  his  face,  running  away  as 
fast  as  he  could.  Evidently  Eradicated  warning 
had  frightened  him. 

"Say,  he  can  run!"  cried  Ned.  "Look  at  him 
legit!" 

"Yes,  and  he  may  run  away,  never  to  come 
back,"  exclaimed  Tom.  "I  don't  want  to  lose 


JB6     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 


him,  he's  too  valuable.     I  know  what  happened 
\      once  when  he  got  frightened.    He  was  away  for 
\    a  week  before  I  could  locate  him,  and  he  hid  in 
\  the  swamp.     I'm  not  going  to  have  that  hap- 
\  pen  again." 

\    "What  are  you  going  to  do?" 
V'Tm  going  to  chase  after  him  in  the  airship, 
It  will  be  a  good  test  for  chasing  the  smugglers, 
Put  me  after  him,  Ned,  and  I'll  play  the  search-, 
light  on  him  so  we  can't  lose  him!" 


CHAPTER   X 

OFF  FOR  THE  BORDER 

"THERE  he  goes,  Tom!" 

uYes,  I  see  him!" 

"Look  at  him  run!" 

"No  wonder.  Consider  his  long  legs,  Ned. 
Put  on  a  little  more  speed,  and  keep  a  little  lower 
down.  It's  clear  of  trees  right  here." 

"There  he  goes  into  that  clump  of  bushes." 

"I  see  him.  He'll  soon  come  out,"  and  Tom 
flashed  the  big  light  on  the  fleeing  giant  to  whom 
fear  seemed  to  lend  more  than  wings. 

But  even  a  giant,  long  legged  though  he  be,  and 
powerful,  cannot  compete  with  a  modern  airship 
»— certainly  not  such  a  one  as  Tom  Swift  had. 

"We're  almost  up  to  him,  Tom!"  cried  Ned  a 
little  later. 

"Yes!  I'm  keeping  track  of  him.  Oh,  why 
doesn't  he  know  enough  to  stop?  Koku!  Koku!" 
Called  Tom.  "It's  all  right!  I'm  in  the  airship! 
[This  is  a  searchlight,  not  a  comet.  Wait  for  us!" 

They  could  see  the  giant  glance  back  over  his 
87 


88     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT. 

shoulder  at  them,  and,  when  he  saw  how  close 
the  gleaming  light  was  he  made  a  desperate  spurt. 
But  it  was  about  his  last,  for  he  was  a  heavy  man, 
and  did  not  have  any  too  good  wind. 

"We'll  have  him  in  another  minute,"  predicted 
Tom.  Give  me  a  bit  more  speed,  Ned." 

The  lad  who  was  managing  the  Falcon  swung 
the  accelerating  lever  over  another  notch,  and 
the  craft  surged  ahead.  Then  Ned  executed  a 
neat  trick.  Swinging  the  craft  around  in  a  half 
circle,  he  suddenly  opened  the  power  full,  and  so 
got  ahead  of  Koku.  The  next  minute,  sliding 
down  to  earth,  Tom  and  Ned  came  to  a  halt, 
awaiting  the  oncoming  of  Koku,  who,  finding  the 
glaring  light  full  in  his  face,  came  to  a  halt. 

"Why,  Koku,  what's  the  matter?"  asked  Tom 
kindly,  as  he  turned  off  the  powerful  beams,  and 
switched  on  some  ordinary  incandescents,  that 
were  on  the  outside  of  the  craft.  They  made  an 
illumination  by  which  the  giant  could  make  out 
his  master  and  the  latter 's  chum.  "Why  did  you 
run,  Koku?"  asked  Tom. 

"Eradicate  say  to,"  was  the  simple  answer. 
"He  say  comet  come  to  eat  up  earth.  Koku  no 
want  to  be  eaten." 

"Eradicate  is  a  big  baby!"  exclaimed  Tom. 
"See,  there  is  no  danger.  It  is  only  my  new 
searchlight,"  and  once  more  the  young  inventor 


OFF  FOR  THE  BORDER  89 

switched  it  on.  Koku  jumped  back,  but  when  he 
saw  that  nothing  happened  he  did  not  run. 

"It's  harmless,"  said  Tom,  and  briefly  he  ex- 
plained how  the  big  lantern  worked. 

Koku  was  reassured  now,  and  consented  to  en- 
ter the  airship.  He  was  rather  tired  from  his 
run,  and  was  glad  to  sit  down. 

"Where  to  now;  back  home?"  asked  Ned,  as 
they  made  ready  to  start. 

"No,  I  was  thinking  of  going  over  to  Mr. 
Damon's  house.  I'd  like  him  to  see  my  search- 
light. And  I  want  to  find  out  if  he's  going  with 
us  on  the  trip  to  the  border." 

"Of  course  he  will!"  predicted  Ned.  He 
hasn't  missed  a  trip  with  you  in  a  long  while. 
He'll  go  if  his  wife  will  let  him,"  and  both  boys 
laughed,  for  Mr.  Damon's  wife  was  nearly  al- 
ways willing  to  let  him  do  as  he  liked,  though  the 
odd  man  had  an  idea  that  she  was  v/olently  op- 
posed to  his  trips. 

Once  more  the  Falcon  went  aloft,  and  again 
the  searchlight  played  about.  It  brought  out  with 
startling  distinctness  the  details  of  the  towns  and 
villages  over  which  they  passed,  and  distant  land- 
marks were  also  made  plainly  visible. 

"We'll  be  there  in  a  few  minutes  now,"  said 
Torn,  as  he  flashed  the  light  on  a  long  slant  toward 
the  town  of  Water  ford,  where  Mr.  Damon  lived. 


go     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREA T  SEARCHLIGHT 

"I  can  see  his  house,"  spoke  Ned  a  moment 
later.  He  changed  the  course  of  the  craft,  to 
bring  it  to  a  stop  in  the  yard  of  the  eccentric  man, 
and,  shortly  afterward,  they  landed.  Tom  who 
had  shut  off  the  searchlight  for  a  minute,  turned 
it  on  again,  and  the  house  and  grounds  of  Mr. 
Damon  were  enveloped  in  a  wonderful  glow. 

"That  will  bring  him  out,"  predicted  Tom. 

A  moment  later  they  heard  his  voice. 

"Bless  my  astronomy!"  cried  Mr.  Damoit 
"There's  a  meteor  fallen  in  our  yard.  Come  outfc 
wife — everybody — call  the  servants.  It's  a  chance 
of  a  lifetime  to  see  one,  and  they're  valuable,  too! 
Bless  my  star  dust!  I  must  tell  Tom  Swift  of 
this!" 

Out  into  the  glare  of  the  great  searchlight  ran 
Mr.  Damon,  followed  by  his  wife  and  several  of 
the  servants. 

"There  it  is !"  cried  the  odd  man.  "There's  the 
meteor!" 

"First  we're  a  comet  and  then  we're  a  meteor,'* 
said  Ned  with  a  laugh. 

"Oh,  I  hope  it  doesn't  bury  itself  in  the  earth, 
before  I  can  get  Tom  Swift  here!"  went  on  Mr. 
Damon,  capering  about.  "Bless  my  telephone 
book,  I  must  call  him  up  right  away!" 

"I'm  here  now,  Mr.  Damon!"  shouted  Tom, 


OFF  FOR  THE  BORDER  91 

as  he  alighted  from  the  airship.  "That's  my  new 
searchlight  you're  looking  at." 

"Bless  my "  began  Mr.  Damon,  but  he 

couldn't  think  of  nothing  strong  enough  for  a 
moment,  until  he  blurted  out  "dynamite  cart- 
ridge! Bless  my  dynamite  cartridge!  Tom  Swift! 
His  searchlight!  Bless  my  nitro-glycerine!" 

Then  Tom  shut  off  the  glare,  and,  as  Mr. 
Damon  and  his  wife  came  aboard  he  showed  them 
how  the  light  worked.  He  only  used  a  part  of 
the  current,  as  he  knew  if  he  put  on  the  full  glare 
toward  Mr.  Damon's  house,  neighbors  might 
Ihink  it  was  on  fire. 

"Well,  that's  certainly  wonderful,"  said  Mrs. 
Damon.  "In  fact  this  is  a  wonderful  ship." 

"Can't  you  take  Mrs.  Damon  about,  and  show 
her  how  it  works,"  said  Mr.  Damon  suddenly. 
"Show  her  the  ship." 

"I  will,"  volunteered  Tom. 

"No,  let  Ned,"  said  the  eccentric  man.  "I — er 
« — I  want  to  speak  to  you,  Tom. " 

Mrs.  Damon,  with  a  queer  glance  at  her  hus- 
band, accompanied  Ned  to  the  motor  room.  As 
soon  as  she  was  out  of  hearing  the  odd  gentleman 
came  over  and  whispered  to  the  young  inventor. 

"I  say,  Tom,  what's  up?" 

"Smugglers.  You  know,  I  told  you  about  'em. 
I'm  going  after  'em  with  my  big  searchlight" 


g2     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

"Bless  my  card  case!  So  you  did.  But,  I  say, 
Tom,  I— I  want  to  go!" 

"I  supposed  you  would.  Well,  you're  wel- 
come, of  course.  We  leave  in  a  few  days.  It 
isn't  a  very  long  trip  this  time,  but  there  may  be 
plenty  of  excitement.  Then  I'll  book  you  for  a 
passage,  and " 

"Hush!  Not  another  word!  Here  she  comes, 
Tom.  My  wife!  Don't  breathe  a  syllable  of  it 
to  her.  She'd  never  let  me  go."  Then,  for  the 
benefit  of  Mrs.  Damon,  who  came  back  into  the 
main  cabin  with  Ned  at  that  moment,  her  husband 
added  in  loud  tones : 

"Yes,  Tom  it  certainly  is  a  wonderful  inven* 
tion.  I  congratulate  you,"  and,  at  the  same  time 
he  winked  rapidly  at  our  hero.  Tom  winked 
in  return. 

"Well,  I  guess  we'll  start  back,"  remarkec* 
Tom,  after  a  bit.  "I'll  see  you  again,  I  suppose, 
Mr.  Damon?" 

"Oh  yes,  of  course.  I'll  be  over — soon,"  and 
once  more  he  winked  as  he  whispered  in  Tom'* 
ear:  "Don't  leave  me  behind,  my  boy." 

"I  won't,"  whispered  the  young  inventor  IP 
answer. 

Mrs.  Damon  smiled,  and  Tom  wondered  if  she 
had  discovered  her  husband's  innocent  secret. 

Tom  and  Ned,  with  Koku,  made  a  quick  trip 


OFF  FOR  THE  BORDER  93 

back  to  Shopton,  using  the  great  searchlight  part 
of  the  way.  The  next  day  they  began  prepara- 
tions for  the  journey  to  the  border. 

It  did  not  take  long  to  get  ready.  No  great 
amount  of  stores  or  supplies  need  be  taken  along, 
as  they  would  not  be  far  from  home,  not  more 
than  a  two  days'  journey  at  any  time.  And  they 
would  be  near  large  cities,  where  food  and  gaso- 
lene could  easily  be  obtained. 

About  a  week  later,  therefore,  Mr.  Whitford 
the  government  agent,  having  been  communicated 
with  in  the  meanwhile,  Tom  and  Ned,  with  Koku 
and  Mr.  Damon  were  ready  to  start. 

"I  wonder  if  Mr.  Whitford  is  coming  to  see 
us  off?"  mused  Tom,  as  he  looked  to  see  if 
everything  was  aboard,  and  made  sure  that  the 
searchlight  was  well  protected  by  its  waterproof 
cover. 

"He  said  he'd  be  here,"  spoke  Ned. 

"Well,  it's  past  time  now.  I  don't  know  wheth- 
er to  start,  or  to  wait." 

"Wait  a  few  minutes  more,"  advised  Ned. 
"His  train  may  be  a  few  minutes  behind  time." 

They  waited  half  an  hour,  and  Tom  was  on 
the  point  of  starting  when  a  messenger  boy  came 
hurrying  into  the  yard  where  the  great  airship 
rested  on  its  bicycle  wheels. 


94 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 


"A  telegram  for  you,  Tom,"  called  the  lad,  who 
was  well  acquainted  with  our  hero. 

Hastily  the  young  inventor  tore  open  the  ei>- 
~elope. 

"Here's  news!"  he  exclaimed. 

"What  is  it?"  asked  Ned. 

"It's  from  Mr.  Whitford,"  answered  his 
chum.  "He  says:  'Can't  be  with  you  at  start 
Will  meet  you  in  Logansville.  Have  new  clew 
to  Jhe  Fogers!'" 

"Great  Scott!"  cried  Ned,  staring  at  his  chum. 


CHAPTER  XI 

ANDY'S  NEW  AIRSHIP 

TOM  SWIFT  tossed  a  quarter  to  the  messenger 
boy,  and  leaped  over  the  rail  to  the  deck  of  his 
airship,  making  his  way  toward  the  pilot  house. 

"Start  the  motor,  Ned,"  he  called.  "Are  you 
all  ready,  Mr.  Damon?" 

"Bless  my  ancient  history,  yes.    But—*' 

"Are  you  going,  Tom?"  asked  Ned. 

"Of  course.  That's  why  we're  here;  isn't  it? 
We're  going  to  start  for  the  border  to  catch  the 
smugglers.  Give  me  full  speed,  I  want  the  motor 
to  warm  up," 

"But  that  message  from  Mr.  Whitford?  He 
says  he  has  a  new  clue  to  the  Fogers." 

"That's  all  right.  He  may  have,  but  he  doesn't 
ask  us  to  work  it  up.  He  says  he  will  meet  us 
In  Logansville,  and  he  can't  if  we  don't  go  there. 
.We're  off  for  Logansville.  Good-bye  dad.  I'll 
bring  you  back  a  souvenir,  Mrs.  Baggert,"  he 
called  to  the  housekeeper.  "Sorry  you're  not 
coming,  Rad,  but  I'll  take  you  next  time." 

95 


56     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREA  T  SEARCHLIGHT 

"Dat's  all  right,  Massa  Tom.  I  doan't  laik  dem 
smugger-fellers,  nohow.  Good-bye  an'  good 
luck!" 

'Bless  my  grab  bag!"  gasped  Mr.  Damon, 
You  certainly  do  things,  Tom." 

"That's  the  only  way  to  get  things  done,"  re- 
plied the  young  inventor.  "How  about  you,  Ned? 
Motor  all  right?" 

"Sure." 

'Then  iet  her  go!" 

A  moment  later  Ned  had  started  the  machin- 
ery, and  Tom,  in  the  pilot  house,  had  pulled  the 
lever  of  the  elevating  rudder.  Whizzing  along, 
but  making  scarcely  any  sound,  the  noiseless  air- 
ship mounted  upward,  and  was  off  on  her  flight 
to  capture  the  men  who  were  cheating  Uncle 
Sam. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  first,  when  you  get 
there,  Tom?"  asked  Ned,  as  he  joined  his  chum 
in  the  pilot  house,  having  set  the  motor  and  other 
apparatus  to  working  automatically  "I  mean  in 
Logans  ville?" 

"I  don't  know.  I'll  have  to  wait  and  see  how 
things  develop." 

"That's  where  Mr.  Foger  lives,  you  know." 

"Yes,  but  I  doubt  if  he  is  there  now.  He  and 
Andy  are  probably  still  in  the  old  house  here, 


ANDY'S  NEW  AIRSHIP  97 

though  what  they  are  doing  is  beyond  me  to 
guess." 

"What  do  you  suppose  this  new  dew  is  that 
Mr.  Whitford  wired  you  about?" 

"Haven't  any  idea.  If  he  wants  us  to  get  after 
it  he'll  let  us  know.  It  won't  take  us  long  to  get 
there  at  this  rate.  But  I  think  I'll  slow  down  a 
bit,  for  the  motor  is  warmed  up  now,  and  there's 
no  use  racking  it  to  pieces.  But  we're  moving 
nicely;  aren't  we,  Ned?" 

"I  should  say  so.  This  is  the  best  all-around 
airship  you've  got." 

"It  is  since  I  put  the  new  motor  in.  Well,  I 
wonder  what  will  happen  when  we  get  chasing 
around  nights  after  the  smugglers?  It  isn't  go- 
ing to  be  easy  work,  I  can  tell  you." 

"I  should  say  not.  How  you  going  to  manage 
it?" 

"Well,  I  haven't  just  decided.  I'm  going  to 
have  a  talk  with  the  customs  men,  and  then  I'll 
go  out  night  after  night  and  cruise  around  at  the 
most  likely  place  where  they'll  rush  goods  across 
the  border.  As  soon  as  I  see  the  outlines  of  an  air- 
ship in  the  darkness,  or  hear  the  throb  of  her 
motor,  I'll  take  after  her,  and " 

"Yes,  and  you  can  do  it,  too,  Tom,  for  she 
can't  hear  you  coming  and  you  can  flash  the  big 
light  on  her  and  the  smugglers  will  think  the  end. 


98     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREA T  SEARCHLIGHT, 

of  the  world  has  come.  Cracky!  It's  going  to 
be  great,  Tom!  I'm  glad  I  came  along.  Maybe 
they'll  fight,  and  fire  at  us!  If  they  have  guns 
aboard,  as  they  probably  will  have,  we'll " 

"Bless  my  armor  plate!"  interrupted  Mr. 
Damon.  "Please  don't  talk  about  such  hair-rais- 
ing things,  Ned!  Talk  about  something  pleas- 
ant." 

"All  right,"  agreed  Tom's  chum,  and  then,  as 
the  airship  sailed  along,  high  above  the  earth, 
they  talked  of  many  things. 

"I  think  when  we  sight  Logansville,"  said  Tom, 
after  a  while,  "that  I  will  come  down  in  some 
quiet  spot,  before  we  reach  the  city." 

"Don't  you  want  to  get  into  a  crowd?"  asked 
Ned. 

"No,  it  isn't  that.  But  Mr.  Foger  lives  there 
you  know,  and,  though  he  may  not  be  at  home, 
there  are  probably  some  men  who  are  interested 
in  the  thing  he  is  working  at." 

"You  mean  smuggling?" 

"Well,  I  wouldn't  say  that.  At  the  same  time 
it  may  have  leaked  out  that  we  are  after  the' 
smugglers  in  an  airship,  and  it  may  be  that  Mr. 
Whitford  doesn't  want  the  Fogers  to  know  I'm 
on  the  ground,  until  he  has  a  chance  to  work  up 
his  clew.  So  I'll  just  go  slowly,  and  remain  in 
the  background  for  a  while." 


'ANDY'S  NEW  AIRSHIP  99 

"Well,  maybe  it's  a  good  plan,"  agreed  Tom. 

"Of  course,"  began  Tom,  "it  would  be " 

He  was  interrupted  by  a  shout  from  Koku, 
who  had  gone  to  the  motor  room,  for  the  giant 
was  as  fascinated  over  machinery  as  a  child.  As 
he  yelled  there  came  a  grinding,  pounding  noise,' 
and  the  big  ship  seemed  to  waver,  to  quiver  in  the 
•void,  and  to  settle  toward  the  earth. 

"Something's  happened!"  cried  Ned,  as  he 
sprang  for  the  place  where  most  of  the  mechanism 
was  housed. 

"Bless  my  toy  balloon!"  shouted  Mr.  Damon., 
"We're  falling,  Tom!" 

It  needed  but  a  glance  at  the  needle  of  the  baro- 
graph to  show  this.  Tom  followed  Ned  at  top 
speed,  but  ere  either  of  them  reached  the  engine 
room  the  pounding  and  grinding  noises  ceased, 
the  airship  began  to  mount  upward  again,  and  it 
seemed  that  the  danger  had  passed. 

"What  can  have  happened?"  gasped  Tom. 

"Come  on,  we'll  soon  see,"  said  Ned,  and  they 
rushed  on,  followed  by  Mr.  Damon,  who  was 
blessing  things  in  a  whisper. 

The  chums  saw  a  moment  later — saw  a  strange 
sight — for  there  was  Koku,  the  giant,  kneeling 
down  on  the  floor  of  the  motor  room,  with  his 
big  hands  clasped  over  one  of  the  braces  of  the 
bed-plate  of  the  great  air  pump,  which  cooled  the 


100  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

cylinders  of  the  motor.  The  pump  had  torn 
partly  away  from  its  fastenings.  Kneeling  there, 
pressing  down  on  the  bed-plate  with  all  his  might, 
Koku  was  in  grave  danger,  for  the  rod  of  the 
pump,  plunging  up  and  down,  was  within  a  frac- 
tion of  an  inch  of  his  head,  and,  had  he  moved, 
the  big  taper  pin,  which  held  the  plunger  to  the 
axle,  would  have  struck  his  temple  and  probably 
would  have  killed  him,  for  the  pin,  which  held 
the  plunger  rigid,  projected  several  inches  from 
the  smooth  side  of  the  rod. 

"Koku,  what  is  the  matter?  Why  are  you 
there?"  cried  Tom,  for  he  could  see  nothing 
wrong  with  the  machinery  now.  The  airship  was 
sailing  on  as  before. 

"Bolt  break,"  explained  the  giant  briefly,  for 
he  had  learned  some  engineering  terms  since  he 
had  been  with  Tom.  "Bolt  that  hold  pump  fast  to 
floor  crack  off.  Pump  him  begin  to  jump  up. 
Make  bad  noise.  Koku  hold  him  down,  but  pretty 
hard  work.  Better  put  in  new  bolt,  Mr.  Tom." 

They  could  see  the  strain  that  was  put  upon  the 
giant  in  his  swelling  veins  and  the  muscles  of  his 
hands  and  arms,  for  they  stood  out  knotted,  and 
in  bunches.  With  all  his  great  strength  it  was 
all  Koku  could  do  to  hold  the  pump  from  tearing 
completely  loose. 

"Quick,  Ned!"  cried  Tom.    "Shut  off  all  the 


ANDY'S  NEW  AIRSHIP.  IOr 

power!  Stop  the  pump!  I've  got  to  bolt  it  fast. 
Start  the  gas  machine,  Mr.  Damon.  You  know 
how  to  do  it.  It  works  independent  of  the  motor. 
You  can  let  go  in  a  minute,  Koku!" 

It  took  but  a  few  seconds  to  do  all  this.  Ned 
stopped  the  main  motor,  which  had  the  effect  of 
causing  the  propellers  to  cease  revolving.  Then 
the  airship  would  have  gone  down  but  for  the 
fact  that  she  was  now  a  balloon,  Mr.  Damon  hav- 
ing started  the  generating  machine  which  sent  the 
powerful  lifting  gas  into  the  big  bag  over  head. 

"Now  you  can  let  go,  Koku,"  said  Tom,  for 
with  the  stopping  of  the  motor  the  air  pump 
ceased  plunging,  and  there  was  no  danger  of  it 
tearing  loose. 

"Bless  my  court  plaster!"  cried  Mr.  Damon. 
"What  happened,  Tom?" 

As  the  giant  arose  from  his  kneeling  position 
the  cause  of  the  accident  could  easily  be  seen.  Two 
of  the  big  bolts  that  held  down  one  end  of  the 
pump  bed-plate  to  the  floor  of  the  airship,  had 
cracked  off,  probably  through  some  defect,  or  be- 
cause of  the  long  and  constant  vibration  on  them. 
•  This  caused  a  great  strain  on  the  two  forward 
bolts,  and  the  pump  started  to  tear  itself  loose. 
Had  it  done  so  there  would  have  been  a  serious 
accident,  for  there  would  have  been  a  tangle  in 
the  machinery  that  might  never  have  been  repair- 


102  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS1  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

able.  But  Koku,  who,  it  seems,  had  been  watcfi- 
ing  the  pump,  saw  the  accident  as  soon  as  it  oc- 
curred. He  knew  that  the  pump  must  be  held 
down,  and  kept  rigid,  and  he  took  the  only  way 
open  to  him  to  accomplish  this. 

He  pressed  his  big  hands  down  over  the  place 
where  the  bolts  had  broken  off,  and  by  main 
strength  of  muscle  he  held  the  bed-plate  in  place 
until  the  power  was  shut  off. 

"Koku,  my  boy,  you  did  a  great  thing!"  cried 
Tom,  when  he  realized  what  had  happened.  You 
saved  all  our  lives,  and  the  airship  as  well." 

"Koku  glad,"  was  the  simple  reply  of  the  giant. 

"But,  bless  my  witch  hazel !"  cried  Mr.  Damon. 
"There's  blood  on  your  hands,  Koku!" 

They  looked  at  the  giant's  palms.  They  <  were 
raw  and  bleeding. 

"How  did  it  happen?"  asked  Ned. 

"Where  bolts  break  off,  iron  rough-like,"  ex-* 
plained  Koku. 

"Rough!  I  should  say  it  was!"  cried  Tom. 
"Why,  he  just  pressed  with  all  his  might  on  the 
jagged  end  of  the  bolts.  Koku,  you're  a  hero!" 

"Hero  same  as  giant?"  asked  Koku,  curiously. 

"No,  it's  a  heap  sight  better,"  spoke  Tom,  and 
there  was  a  trace  of  tears  in  his  eyes. 

"Bless  my  vaseline!"  exclaimed  Mr.  Damon, 
blowing  his  nose  harder  than  seemed  necessary* 


ANDY'S  NEW  AIRSHIP  103 

"Come  over  here,  Koku,  and  I'll  bandage  up  your 
hands.  Poor  fellow,  it  must  hurt  a  lot!" 

"Oh,  not  so  bad,"  was  the  simple  reply. 

While  Mr.  Damon  gave  first  aid  to  the  injured, 
Pom  and  Ned  put  new  bolts  in  place  of  the  broken 
ones  on  the  bed-plate,  and  they  tested  them  to  see 
that  they  were  perfect.  New  ones  were  also  sub- 
stituted for  the  two  that  had  been  strained,  and 
in  the  course  of  an  hour  the  repairs  were  made. 

"Now  we  can  run  as  an  aeroplane  again,"  said 
Tom,  "But  I'm  not  going  to  try  such  speed 
again.  It  was  the  vibration  that  did  it  I  guess." 

They  were  now  over  a  wild  and  desolate  stretch 
of  country,  for  the  region  lying  on  either  side  of 
the  imaginary  line  dividing  Canada  and  New 
York  State,  at  the  point  where  the  St.  Lawrence 
flows  north-east,  is  sparsely  settled. 

There  were  stretches  of  forest  that  seemed 
never  to  have  been  penetrated,  and  here  and  there 
patches  of  stunted  growth,  with  little  lakes  dotted 
through  the  wilderness.  There  were  hills  and 
valleys,  small  streams  and  an  occasional  village. 

"Just  the  place  for  smuggling,"  observed  Tom, 
as  he  looked  at  a  map,  consulted  a  clock  and  fig- 
ured out  that  they  must  be  near  Logans ville.  "We 
can  go  down  here  in  one  of  these  hollows,  sur- 
rounded by  this  tangled  forest,  and  no  one  would 


104  TOM  SWIFT  AND  m$  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

ever  know  we  were  here.  The  smugglers  could 
do  the  same." 

"Are  you  going  to  try  it?"  asked  Ned. 

"I  think  I  will.  We'll  go  up  to  quite  a  height 
now,  and  I'll  see  if  I  can  pick  out  Logansville. 
That  isn't  much  of  a  place  I  guess.  When  I  sight 
it  I'll  select  a  good  place  to  lay  hidden  for  a  day 
or  two,  until  Mr.  Whitford  has  had  a  chance  to 
work  up  his  clew." 

The  airship  machinery  was  now  working  well 
again,  and  Tom  sent  his  craft  up  about  three 
miles.  From  there,  taking  observations  through 
a  powerful  telescope,  he  was  able,  after  a  little 
while,  to  pick  out  a  small  town.  From  its  loca* 
tion  and  general  outline  he  knew  it  to  be  Logans- 
ville. 

"We'll  go  down  about  three  miles  from  it,"  he 
said  to  his  chum.  "They  won't  be  likely  to  see 
us  then,  and  we'll  stay  concealed  for  a  while. " 

This  plan  was  put  into  operation,  and,  a  little 
later  the  Falcon  came  to  rest  in  a  little  grassy 
clearing,  located  in  among  a  number  of  densely 
wooded  hills.  It  was  an  ideal  place  to  camp, 
though  very  lonesome. 

"Now,  Ned,  let's  cut  a  lot  of  branches,  and  pile 
them  over  the  airship,"  suggested  Tom. 

"Cover  over  the  airship?    What  for?" 

"So  that  in  case  anyone  flies  over  our  heads 


ANDY'S  NEW  AIRSHIP 


105 


they  won't  look  down  and  see  us.  If  the  Fogers, 
or  any  of  the  smugglers,  should  happen  to  pass 
over  this  place,  they'd  spot  us  in  a  minute.  We've 
got  to  play  foxy  on  this  hunt." 

"That's  so,"  agreed  his  chum;  and  soon  the 
three  of  them  were  busy  making  the  airship  look 
like  a  tangled  mass  of  underbrush.  Koku  helped 
by  dragging  big  branches  along  under  his  arm, 
but  he  could  not  use  his  hands  very  well. 

They  remained  in  the  little  grassy  glade  three 
days,  thoroughly  enjoying  their  camp  and  the 
rest.  Tom  and  Ned  went  fishing  in  a  nearby 
lake  and  had  some  good  luck.  They  also  caught 
trout  in  a  small  stream  and  broiled  the  speckled 
beauties  with  bacon  inside  them  over  live  coals 
at  a  campfire. 

"My!  But  that's  good!"  mumbled  Ned,  with 
his  mouth  full  of  hot  trout,  and  bread  and  but- 
ter. 

"Yes,  I'd  rather  do  this  than  chase  smugglers," 
said  Tom,  stretching  out  on  his  back  with  his  face 
to  the  sky.  "I  wish " 

But  he  did  not  finish  the  sentence.  Suddenly 
from  the  air  above  them  came  a  curious  whirring, 
throbbing  noise.  Tom  sat  up  with  a  jump!  He 
and  Ned  gazed  toward  the  zenith.  The  noise  in- 
creased and,  a  moment  later,  there  came  into  view 
a  big  airship,  sailing  right  over  their  heads. 


306  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

-  /'Look  at  that!"  cried  Tom. 

"Hush !    They'll  hear  you,"  cautioned  Ned. 

"Nonsense!  They're  too  high  up,"  was  Tom'g 
reply.  "Mr.  Damon,  bring  me  the  big  binocularSj 
please!"  he  called. 

"Bless  my  spectacles,  what's  up?"  asked  thf 
odd  gentleman  as  he  ran  with  the  glasses  toward 
•Tom. 

Our  hero  focused  them  on  the  airship  that  was 
swiftly  sailing  across  the  open  space  in  the  wild- 
erness but  so  high  up  that  there  was  no  danger  of 
our  friends  being  recognized.  Then  the  young  in- 
ventor uttered  a  cry  of  astonishment. 

"It's  Andy  Foger!"  he  cried.  "He's  in  that 
airship,  and  he's  got  two  .men  with  him.  Andy 
Foger,  and  it's  a  new  biplane.  Say,  maybe  that's 
the  new  clew  Mr.  Whitford  wired  me  about.  We 
must  get  ready  for  action !  Andy  in  a  new  air- 
ship means  business,  and  from  the  whiteness  of 
the  canvas  planes,  I  should  say  that  craft  was  OK 
its  first  trip. 


CHAPTER  XII 

> 

WARNED  AWAY 

"ToM,  are  you  sure  it's  Andy  ?" 

"Take  a  look  yourself,"  replied  the  young  in- 
ventor, passing  his  chum  the  binoculars. 

"Bless  my  bottle  of  ink!"  cried  Mr.  Damon. 
"Is  it  possible?" 

"Quick,  Ned,  or  you'll  miss  him!"  cried  Tom. 

The  young  bank  clerk  focused  the  glasses  on 
the  rapidly  moving  airship,  and,  a  moment  later, 
exclaimed : 

"Yes,  that's  Andy  all  right,  but  I  don't  know 
who  the  men  are  with  him." 

"I  couldn't  recognize  them,  either,"  announced 
Tom.  "But  say,  Ned,  Andy's  got  a  good  deal 
better  airship  than  he  had  before." 

"Yes,  This  isn't  his  old  one  fixed  over.  I  don't 
believe  he  ever  intended  to  repair  the  old  one. 
That  hiring  of  Mr.  Dillon  to  do  that,  was  only 
to  throw  him,  and  us,  too,  off  the  track." 

Ned  passed  the  glasses  to  Mr.  Damon,  who  was 
just  in  time  to  get  a  glimpse  of  the  three  occu- 

107 


ffo8  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT, 

pants  of  Andy's  craft  before  it  passed  out  of 
sight  over  the  trees. 

"I  believe  you're  right,"  said  Tom  to  his  chum. 
"And  did  you  notice  that  there's  quite  a  body,  or 
Car,  to  that  craft?" 

"Yes,  room  enough  to  carry  considerable 
goods,"  commented  Ned.  "I  wonder  where  he's 
going  in  it?" 

To  Logansville,  most  likely.  I  tell  you  what 
it  is,  Ned.  I  think  one  of  us  will  have  to  go 
there,  and  see  if  Mr.  Whitford  has  arrived.  He 
may  be  looking  for  us.  I'm  not  sure  but  what 
we  ought  not  to  have  done  this  first.  He  may 
think  we  have  not  come,  or  have  met  with  some 
accident." 

"I  guess  you're  right,  Tom.  But  how  shall  we 
go?  It  isn't  going  to  be  any  fun  to  tramp  through 
those  woods,"  and  Ned  glanced  at  the  wilderness 
that  surrounded  the  little  glade  where  they  had 
been  camping. 

"No,  and  I've  about  concluded  that  we  might 
as  well  risk  it,  and  go  in  the  airship.  Mr.  Whit- 
'ford  has  had  time  enough  to  work  up  his  clew,  I 
guess,  and  Andy  will  be  sure  to  find  out,  sooner 
or  later,  that  we  are  in  the  neighborhood.  I  say 
let's  start  for  Logansville." 

Ned  and  Mr.  Damon  agreed  with  this  and  soon 
jthey  were  prepared  to  move. 


WARNED  AWAY 


log 


"Where  will  you  find  Mr.  Whitford?"  asked 
Ned  of  his  chum,  as  the  Falcon  arose  in  the  air. 

"At  the  post-office.  That's  where  we  arranged 
to  meet.  There  is  a  sort  of  local  custom  house 
there,  I  believe." 

Straight  over  the  forest  flew  Tom  Swift  and 
his  airship,  with  the  great  searchlight  housed  on 
top.  They  delayed  their  start  until  the  other 
craft  had  had  a  chance  to  get  well  ahead,  and  they 
were  well  up  in  the  air ;  there  was  no  sight  of  the 
biplane  in  which  Andy  had  sailed  over  their  heads 
a  short  time  before. 

"Where  are  you  going  to  land?"  asked  Ned, 
as  they  came  in  view  of  the  town. 

"The  best  place  I  can  pick  out,"  answered  Tom. 
"Just  on  the  outskirts  of  the  place,  I  think.  I 
don't  want  to  go  down  right  in  the  centre,  as 
there'll  be  such  a  crowd.  Yet  if  Andy  has  been 
using  his  airship  here  the  people  must  be  more  or 
less  used  to  seeing  them." 

But  if  the  populace  of  Logansville  had  been  in 
the  habit  of  having  Andy  Foger  sail  over  their 
heads,  still  they  were  enough  interested  in  a  new 
craft  to  crowd  around  when  Tom  dropped  into  a 
field  near  some  outlying-houses.  In  a  moment  the 
airship  was  surrounded  by  a  crowd  of  women  and 
children,  and  there  would  probably  been  a  lot  of 
men,  but  for  the  fact  that  they  were  awajr  at 


1 10  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

work.    Tom  had  come  down  in  a  residential  sec- 
tion. 

"Say,  that's  a  beauty!"  cried  one  boy. 

"Let's  see  if  they'll  let  us  go  on!"  proposed  an- 


other. 

"We're  going  to  have  our  own  troubles,"  said 
Tom  to  his  chum.  "I  guess  I'll  go  into  town,  and 
leave  the  rest  of  you  on  guard  here.  Keep  every- 
body off,  if  you  have  to  string  mildly  charged 
electrical  wires  about  the  rail." 

But  there  was  no  need  to  take  this  precaution, 
for,  just  as  the  combined  juvenile  population  of 
that  part  of  Logansville  was  prepared  to  storm, 
and  board  the  Falcon,  Koku  appeared  on  deck. 

"Oh,  look  at  the  giant!" 

"Say,  this  is  a  circus  airship?" 

"Wow!  Ain't  he  big!" 

"I'll  bet  he  could  lift  a  house!" 
/       These  and  other  expressions  came  from  the 
(     boys  and  girls  about  the  airship.     The  women 
,'   looked  on  open-mouthed,  and  murmurs  of  sur- 
\  prise  and  admiration  at  Koku's  size  came  from  a 
number  of  men  who  had  hastily  run  up. 

Koku  stepped  from  the  airship  to  the  ground, 
and  at  once  every  boy  and  girl  made  a  bee-line 
for  safety. 

"That  will  do  the  trick!"  exclaimed  Tom  with 
a  laugh.  "Koku,  just  pull  up  a  few  trees,  and 


WARNED  AWAY  1 1  Iv 

look  as  fierce  as  Bluebeard,  and  I  guess  we  won't 
be  troubled  with  curiosity  seekers.  You  can 
guard  the  airship,  Koku,  better  than  electric 
wires." 

"I  fix  'em!"  exclaimed  the  giant,  and  he  tried 
to  look  fierce,  but  it  was  hard  work,  for  he  was 
very  good  natured.  But  he  proved  a  greater  at- 
traction than  the  aircraft^  and  Tom  was  glad  of 
it,  for  he  did  not  like  meddlers  aboard. 

"With  Koku  to  help  you,  and  Mr.  Damon  to 
bless  things,  I  guess  you  can  manage  until  I  come 
back,  Ned,"  said  the  young  inventor,  as  he  made 
ready  to  go  in  to  town  to  see  if  Mr.  Whit  ford 
had  arrived. 

"Oh,  we'll  get  along  all  right,"  declared  Ned. 
"Don't  worry." 

Tom  found  Mr.  Whitford  in  one  of  the  rooms 
over  the  post-office.  The  custom  house  official 
was  restlessly  pacing  the  floor. 

"Well,  Tom!"  he  exclaimed,  shaking  hands, 
"I'm  glad  to  see  you.  I  was  afraid  something 
had  happened.  I  was  delayed  myself,  but  when 
I  did  arrive  and  found  you  hadn't  been  heard 
from,  I  didn't  know  what  to  think.  I  couldn't 
get  you  on  the  wireless.  The  plant  here  is  out  of 
repair. 

Tom  told  of  their  trip,  and  the  wait  they  had 
decided  on,  and  asked : 


1 12  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

"What  about  the  new  clew;  the  Fogers?" 

"I'm  sorry  to  say  it  didn't  amount  to  anything. 
I  ran  it  down,  and  came  to  nothing." 

"You  know  Andy  has  a  new  airship?" 

"Yes.  I  had  men  on  the  trail  of  it.  They  say 
Andy  is  agent  for  a  firm  that  manufactures  them, 
but  I  have  my  doubts.  I  haven't  given  up  yet. 
But  say,  Tom,  you've  got  to  get  busy.  A  big  lot 
of  goods  was  smuggled  over  last  night." 

"Where?" 

"Well,  quite  a  way  from  here.  I  got  a  tele- 
gram about  it.  Can  you  get  on  the  job  to-night, 
and  do  some  patrol  work  along  the  border  ?  You're 
only  half  a  mile  from  it  now.  Over  there  is  Can- 
ada, and  he  pointed  to  a  town  on  a  hill  opposite 
Logansville. 

"Yes,  I  can  get  right  into  action.  What  place 
is  that?" 

"Montford,  Canada.  I've  got  men  planted 
there,  and  the  Dominion  customs  officials  are  help- 
ing us.  But  I  think  the  smugglers  have  changed 
the  base  of  their  operations  for  the  time  being.  If 
I  were  you  I'd  head  for  the  St.  Lawrence  to- 
night." 

"I  will.    Don't  you  want  to  come  along?" 

"Why,  yes.  I  believe  I'm  game.  I'll  join  you 
later  in  the  day,"  Mr.  Whitford  added,  as  Tom 
told  him  where  the  Falcon  was  anchored. 


WARNED.  AWAY 

The  young  inventor  got  back  to  find  a  bigger 
crowd  than  ever  around  his  airship.  But  Koku 
and  the  others  had  kept  them  at  a  distance. 

With  the  government  agent  aboard  Tom  sent 
his  craft  into  the  air  at  dusk,  the  crowd  cheering 
lustily.  Then,  with  her  nose  pointed  toward  the 
St.  Lawrence,  the  Falcon  was  on  her  way  to  do 
a  night  patrol,  and,  if  possible,  detect  the  smug- 
glers. ^ 

It  was  monotonous  work,  and  unprofitable,  for, 
though  Tom  sent  the  airship  back  and  forth  for 
many  miles  along  the  wonderful  river  that  formed 
the  path  from  the  Great  Lakes  to  the  sea,  he  had 
no  glimpse  of  ghostly  wings  of  other  aircraft,  nor 
did  he  hear  the  beat  of  propellers,  nor  the  throb 
of  motors,  as  his  own  noiseless  airship  cruised 
along. 

It  came  on  to  rain  after  midnight,  and  a  mist 
crept  down  from  the  clouds,  so  that  even  with 
the  great  searchlight  flashing  its  powerful  beams, 
it  was  difficult  to  see  for  any  great  distance. 

"Better  give  it  up,  I  guess,"  suggested  Mr. 
Whitford  toward  morning,  when  they  had  cov- 
ered many  miles,  and  had  turned  back  toward 
Logansville. 

"All  right,"  agreed  Tom.  "But  we'll  try  it 
again  to-morrow  night." 

He  dropped  his  craft  at  the  anchorage  he  ha<J 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

selected  in  the  gray  dawn  of  the  morning.  All 
on  board  were  tired  and  sleepy.  Ned,  looking 
from  a  window  of  the  cabin,  as  the  Falcon  came 
to  a  stop,  saw  something  white  on  the  ground. 

"I  wonder  what  that  is?"  he  said  as  he  hur- 
ried out  to  pick  it  up.  It  was  a  large  white  en- 
velope, addressed  to  Tom  Swift,  and  the  name 
was  in  printed  characters. 

"Somebody  who  wants  to  disguise  their  writ- 
ing," remarked  Tom,  as  he  tore  it  open.  A  look 
of  surprise  came  over  his  face. 

"Look  here!  Mr.  Whitford,"  he  cried.  "This 
is  the  work  of  the  smugglers  all  right!" 

For,  staring  at  Tom,  in  big  printed  letters,  on 
a  white  sheet  of  paper,  was  this  message: 

"If  you  know  what  is  good  for  you,  Tom  Swift, 
you  had  better  clear  out.  If  you  don't  your  air- 
ship will  burned,  and  you  may  get  hurt.  We'll 
burn  you  in  mid-air.  Beware  and  quit.  You 
can't  catch  us. 

"THE  COMMITTEE  OF  THREE." 

"Ha!  Warned  away!"  cried  Tom.  "WeU,  it 
will  take  more  than  this  to  make  me  give  up!" 
and  he  crumpled  the  anonymous  warning  in  his 
hand. 


CHAPTER    XIII 

KOKU  SAVES  THE  LIGHT 

"DON'T  do  that!"  cried  Mr.  Whitford. 

"What?"  asked  Tom,  in  some  surprise. 

"Don't  destroy  that  letter.  It  may  give  us  a 
clew.  Let  me  have  it.  I'll  put  a  man  at  work  on 
that  end  of  this  game." 

"Bless  my  checkerboard!"  cried  Mr.  Damon. 
"This  game  has  so  many  ends  that  you  don't 
know  where  to  begin  to  play  it." 

The  government  man  smoothed  out  the  crump- 
kd  piece  of  paper,  and  looked  at  it  carefully,  and 
also  gazed  at  the  envelope. 

"It's  pretty  hard  to  identify  plain  print,  done 
with  a  lead  pencil,"  he  murmured.  "And  this 
didn't  come  through  the  mail. " 

"I  wonder  how  it  got  here?"  mused  Ned. 
"Maybe  some  of  the  crowd  that  was  here  when 
we  started  off  dropped  it  for  the  smugglers.  May- 
be the  smugglers  were  in  that  crowd!" 

"Let's  take  a  look  outside,"  suggested  Mr, 
us 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

Whit  ford.  "We  may  be  able  to  pick  up  a  clew 
there." 

Although  our  friends  were  tired  and  sleepy, 
and  hungry  as  well,  they  forgot  all  this  in  the 
desire  to  learn  more  about  the  mysterious  warn- 
ing that  had  come  to  them  during  the  night.  They 
all  went  outside,  and  Ned  pointed  to  where  he  had 
picked  up  the  envelope. 

"Look  all  around,  and  see  if  you  can  find  any- 
thing more,"  directed  the  custom  agent. 

"Footprints  won't  count,"  said  Tom.  "There 
was  a  regular  circus  crowd  out  here  yesterday." 

"I'm  not  looking  for  footprints,"  replied  Mr. 
Whitford,  "I  have  an  idea " 

"Here's  something!"  interrupted  Mr.  Damon. 
"It  looks  like  a  lead  weight  for  a  deep-sea  fishing 
line.  Bless  my  reel.  No  one  could  do  fishing 
here." 

"Let  me  see  that!"  exclaimed  Mr.  Whitford 
eagerly.  Then,  as  he  looked  at  it,  he  uttered  a 
cry  of  delight.  "I  thought  so,"  he  said.  "Look 
at  this  bit  of  cord  tied  to  the  weight. " 

"What  does  that  signify?"  asked  Tom. 

"And  see  this  little  hole  in  the  envelope,  or, 
rather  a  place  that  was  a  hole,  but  it's  torn  away 
now." 

"I'm  not  much  the  wiser,"  confessed  Ned,  with 
a  puzzled  look. 


KOKU  SAVES  THE  LIGHT 


"Why,  it's  as  plain  as  print,"  declared  the  gov- 
ernment agent.  "This  warning  letter  was  dropped' 
from  an  airship,  Tom." 

"From  an  airship?" 

"Yes.  They  sailed  right  over  this  place,  and 
let  the  letter  fall,  with  this  lead  weight  attached, 
to  bring  it  to  earth  just  where  they  wanted  it  to 
fall." 

"Bless  my  postage  stamp!"  cried  Mr.  Damon. 
"I  never  heard  of  such  a  thing." 

"I  see  it  now!"  exclaimed  Tom.  "While  we 
were  off  over  the  river,  watching  for  the  smug- 
glers, they  were  turning  a  trick  here,  and  giving 
us  a  warning  into  the  bargain.  We  should  have 
stayed  around  here.  I  wonder  if  it  was  Andy's 
airship  that  was  used?" 

"We  can  easily  find  that  out,"  said  Mr.  Whit- 
ford.  "I  have  a  detective  stationed  in  a  house 
not  far  from  where  the  Foger's  live.  Andy  came 
back  from  Shopton  yesterday,  just  before  you 
arrived  here,  and  I  can  soon  let  you  know  whether 
he  was  out  last  night.  I'll  take  this  letter  with 
une,  and  get  right  up  to  my  office,  though  I'm 
afraid  this  won't  be  much  of  a  clew  after  all. 
Print  isn't  like  handwriting  for  evidence." 

"And  to  think  they  sailed  right  over  this  place, 
and  we  weren't  home,"  mourned  Tom.  "It 
makes  me  mad!" 


H8  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

Rut  there  was  no  use  in  regretting  what  ha<3 
happened,  and,  after  a  hoPBrealcfast  m  the  air- 
ship, with  Mr.  Damon  presiding  at  the  electrical 
stove,  they  all  felt  more  hopeful.  Mr.  Whitford 
left  for  his  office,  promising  to  send  word  to 
Tom  as  to  whether  or  not  Andy  was  abroad  in 
the  airship  during  the  night. 

"I  wonder  if  that  'Committee  of  Three'  is  Andy 
and  those  two  fellows  with  him  in  the  airship  ?" 
asked  Ned. 

"Hard  telling,"  responded  his  chum.  "Now 
for  a  good  sleep.  Koku,  keep  the  crowd  away 
while  we  have  a  rest,"  for  the  giant  had  in- 
dulged in  a  good  rest  while  the  airship  was  on 
patrol  during  the  night. 

Not  so  much  of  a  crowd  came  out  as  on  the 
first  day,  and  Koku  had  little  trouble  in  keeping 
them  far  enough  away  so  that  Tom  and  the 
others  could  get  some  rest.  Koku  walked  about, 
brandishing  a  big  club,  and  looking  as  fierce  as  a 
giant  in  a  fairy  tale. 

It  was  afternoon  when  a  message  came  from 
Mr.  Whitford  to  the  effect  that  Andy's  airship 
was  not  out  the  previous  night,  and  that  so  far  no 
clews  had  developed  from  the  letter,  or  from  any 
other  source. 

"We'll  just  have  to  keep  our  eyes  open,"  wrote 
Mr.  Whitford.  "I  think  perhaps  we  are  altogether 


KOKU  SAVES  TUE  LIGHT  119 

wrong  about  the  Fogers,  unless  they  are  deeper 
than  I  give  them  credit  for.  It  might  be  well  to 
let  the  smugglers  think  you  are  frightened,  and 
go  away  for  a  day  or  so,  selecting  a  more  se- 
cluded spot  to  remain  in.  That  may  cause  them 
to  get  bolder,  and  we  may  catch  them  unawares." 

"That's  a  good  plan.  I'll  try  it,"  decided  Tom. 
" We'll  move  to-morrow  to  a  new  location." 

"Why  not  to-night?"  asked  Ned. 

"Because  it's  getting  late,  and  I  want  to  circle 
about  in  daylight  and  pick  out  a  good  place* 
Morning  will  do  all  right." 

"Then  you're  not  going  out  to-night?" 

*No.  Mr.  Whitford  writes  that  as  goods  were 
smuggled  over  last  night  it  will  hardly  be  likely 
that  they  will  repeat  the  trick  to-night.  We'll 
have  a  little  rest." 

"Going  to  mount  guard?"  asked  Ned. 

"No,  I  don't  think  so.     No  one  will  disturb 


us." 


Afterward  the  young  inventor  wished  that 
had  kept  a  better  watch  that  night,  for  it  nearly  j 
proved  disastrous  for  him. 

It  must  have  been  about  midnight  that  Tom 
was  awakened  by  a  movement  in  the  airship. 

"Who's  that?"  he  asked  suddenly. 

"Koku,"  came  the  reassuring  reply.    "Too  hot 
to  sleep  in  my  bunk.    I  go  out  on  deck. " 


H20  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

"All  right,  Koku,"  and  Tom  dozed  off  again. 

Suddenly  he  was  awakened  by  the  sound  of  a 
teriffic  scuffle  on  deck.  Up  he  jumped,  rushing 
toward  the  door  that  led  from  his  sleeping  cabin. , 

"What  is  it !    What's  the  matter !"  he  cried. 

There  came  the  sound  of  a  blow,  a  cry  of  pain, 
and  then  the  report  of  a  gun. 

"Bless  my  cartridge  belt!"  cried  Mr.  Damon. 

"What's  the  matter?  Who  is  it?  What  hap- 
pened?" yelled  Ned,  tumbling  out  of  his  bunk. 

"Something  wrong!"  answered  Tom,  as  he 
switched  on  the  electric  lights.  He  was  just  in 
time  to  see  Koku  wrench  a  gun  from  a  man  who 
stood  near  the  pedestal,  on  which  the  great  search- 
light  was  poised.  Tossing  the  weapon  aside,  Ko* 
ku  caught  up  his  club,  and  aimed  a  blow  at  the 
man.  But  the  latter  nimbly  dodged  and,  a  mo* 
ment  later  leaped  over  the  rail,  followed  by  the 
giant. 

"Who  is  he?  What  did  he  do?"  cried  Tom 
after  his  big  servant.  "What  happened  ?" 

"Him  try  to  shoot  searchlight,  but  I  stop  him!" 
yelled  back  Koku,  as  he  rushed  on  in  pursuit. 
With  a  leap  Tom  sprang  to  the  switch  of  his  lan^ 
tern,  and  sent  a  flood  of  light  toward  where  Koku 
was  racing  after  the  intruder. 


CHAPTER   XIV 

A  FALSE  CLEW 

FULL  in  the  glare  of  the  powerful  beam  from 
the  light  there  was  revealed  the  giant  and  the  man 
he  was  pursuing.  The  latter  neither  Tom,  nor 
any  one  on  the  airship,  knew.  All  they  could  see 
was  that  he  was  racing  away  at  top  speed,  with 
Koku  vainly  swinging  his  club  at  him. 

"Bless  my  chicken  soup!"  cried  Mr.  Damon. 
"Is  anything  damaged,  Tom?" 

"No,  Koku  was  too  quick  for  him,"  yelled  the 
youth,  as  he,  too  leaped  over  the  rail  and  joined 
in  the  pursuit. 

"Stop!  Stop!"  called  Koku  to  the  man  who  had 
sought  to  damage  the  great  searchlight.  But  the 
fellow  knew  better  than  to  halt,  with  an  angry 
giant  so  close  behind  him.  He  ran  on  faster  than 
ever. 

Suddenly  the  stranger  seemed  to  realize  that 
by  keeping  in  the  path  of  the  light  he  gave  his 
pursuers  a  great  advantage.  He  dodged  to  one 

121 


122  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

side,  off  the  path  on  which  he  had  been  running, 
and  plunged  into  the  bushes. 

"Where  him  go?"  called  Koku,  coming  to  a 
puzzled  halt. 

"Ned,  play  the  light  on  both  sides!"  ordered 
Tom  to  his  chum,  who  was  now  on  the  deck  of 
the  airship,  near  the  wheels  and  levers  that  oper- 
ated the  big  lantern,  '"Show  him  up!" 

Obediently  the  young  bank  clerk  swung  the 
searchlight  from  side  to  side.  The  powerful 
combined  electric  current,  hissing  into  the  big 
carbons,  and  being  reflected  by  the  parabolic  mir- 
rors, made  the  growth  of  underbrush  as  brightly 
illuminated  as  in  day  time.  Tom  detected  a  move* 
ment. 

"There  he  is,  Koku!"  he  called  to  his  giant 
servant.  "Off  there  to  the  left.  After  him!" 

Raising  his  club  on  high,  Koku  made  a  leap  for 
the  place  where  the  fugutive  was  hiding.  As  the 
man  saw  the  light,  and  sprang  forward,  he  was, 
for  a  moment,  in  the  full  glare  of  the  rays.  Then, 
just  as  the  giant  was  about  to  reach  him,  Koku 
stumbled  over  a  tree  root,  and  fell  heavily. 

"Never  mind,  I'll  get  him !"  yelled  Tom,  but  the 
next  moment  the  man  vanished  suddenly,  and  was 
no  longer  to  be  seen  in  the  finger  of  light  from 
the  lantern.  He  had  probably  dipped  down  into 


A  FALSE  CLEW 


1*3 


some  hollow,  lying  there  hidden,  and  as  of  course 
was  out  of  the  focus  of  the  searchlight. 

"Come  on,  Koku,  we'll  find  him!"  exclaimed 
Tom,  and  together  they  made  a  search,  Mr. 
Damon  joining  them,  while  Ned  worked  the  lan- 
tern. But  it  was  of  no  avail,  for  they  did  not  find 
the  stranger. 

"Well,  we  might  as  well  go  back,"  said  Tom, 
at  length.  "We  can't  find  him.  He's  probably 
far  enough  off  by  this  time." 

"Who  was  he?"  panted  Mr.  Damon,  as  he 
walked  beside  Tom  and  Koku  to  the  airship.  Ned 
had  switched  off  the  big  light  on  a  signal  from 
the  young  inventor. 

"I  don't  know!"  answered  Tom. 

"But  what  did  he  want?  What  was  he  doing? 
I  don't  quite  understand." 

"He  wanted  to  put  my  searchlight  out  of  com- 
mission," responded  our  hero.  "From  that  I 
should  argue  that  he  was  either  one  of  the  smug- 
glers, or  trying  to  aid  them." 

And  this  theory  was  borne  out  by  Mr.  Whit- 
ford,  who,  on  calling  the  next  morning,  was  told 
of  the  occurrence  of  the  night.  Koku  related 
how  he  had  found  it  uncomfortable  in  his  bunk, 
and  had  gone  out  on  deck  for  ai»r.  There,  half 
dozing,  he  heard  a  stealthy  step.  At  once  he  was 
on  the  alert.  He  saw  a  man  with  a  gpn  creeping 


124 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 


along,  and  at  first  thought  the  fellow  had  evil 
designs  on  some  of  those  aboard  the  Falcon. 

Then,  when  Koku  saw  the  man  aim  at  the  big 
searchlight  the  giant  sprang  at  him,  and  there 
was  a  scuffle.  The  gun  went  off,  and  the  man 
escaped.  An  examination  of  the  weapon  he  had 
left  behind  showed  that  it  carried  a  highly  explo- 
sive shell,  which,  had  it  hit  the  lantern,  would 
have  completely  destroyed  it,  and  might  have 
damaged  the  airship. 

"It  was  the  smugglers,  without  a  doubt,"  de- 
clared Mr.  Whitford.  "You  can't  get  away  from 
this  place  any  too  soon,  Tom.  Get  a  new  hiding 
spot,  and  I  will  communicate  with  you  there." 

"But  they  are  on  the  watch,"  objected  Ned. 
"They'll  see  where  we  go,  and  follow  us.  The 
next  time  they  may  succeed  in  smashing  the 
lantern." 

"And  if  they  do,"  spoke  Tom,  "it  will  be  all 
tip  with  trying  to  detect  the  smugglers,  for  it 
would  take  me  quite  a  while  to  make  another 
searchlight.  But  I  have  a  plan." 

"What  is  it?"  asked  the  government  agent. 

"I'll  make  a  flight  to-day,"  went  on  the  young 
inventor,  "and  sail  over  quite  an  area,  I'll  pick 
cut  a  good  place  to  land,  and  we'll  make  our  camp 
there  instead  of  here.  Then  I'll  come  back  to 
this  spot,  and  after  dark  I'll  go  up,  without  a 


'A  FALSE  CLEW  125 

light  showing.  There's  no  moon  to-night,  and 
they'll  have  pretty  good  eyes  if  they  can  follow 
me,  unless  they  get  a  searchlight,  and  they  won't 
do  that  for  fear  of  giving  themselves  away. 

"We'll  sail  off  in  the  darkness,  go  to  the  spot 
we  have  previously  picked  out,  and  drop  down 
to  it.  There  we  can  hide  and  I  don't  believe  they 
can  trace  us." 

"But  how  can  you  find  in  the  darkness,  the 
spot  you  pick  out  in  daylight?"  Mr.  Whitford 
wanted  to  know. 

"I'll  arrange  some  electric  lights,  in  a  certain 
formation  in  trees  around  the  landing  place," 
said  Tom.  "I'll  fix  them  with  a  clockwork  switch, 
that  will  illuminate  them  at  a  certain  hour,  and 
they'll  run  by  a  storage  battery.  In  that  way 
I'll  have  my  landing  place  all  marked  out,  and, 
as  it  can  only  be  seen  from  above,  if  any  of  the 
smugglers  are  on  the  ground,  they  won't  notice 
the  incandescents," 

"But  if  they  are  in  their  airship  they  will," 
said  Mr.  Damon. 

"Of  course  that's  possible,"  admitted  Tom, 
"but,  even  if  they  see  the  lights  I  don't  believe 
they  will  know  what  they  mean.  And,  another 
thing,  I  don't  imagine  they'll  come  around  here 
in  their  airship  when  they  know  that  we're 
in  the  neighborhood,  and  when  the  spy  who  en- 


126  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT* 

cteavored  to  "damage  my  lantern  reports  that  fie 
'didn't  succeed.  They'll  know  that  we  are  likely 
to  be  after  them  any  minute." 

"That's  so,"  agreed  Ned.  "I  guess  that's  a 
good  plan." 

It  was  one  they  adopted,  and,  soon  after  Mr. 
sWhitford's  visit  the  airship  arose,  with  him  on 
board,  and  Tom  sent  her  about  in  great  circles 
and  sweeps,  now  on  high  and  again,  barely 
skimming  over  the  treetops.  During  this  time  a 
lookout  was  kept  for  any  other  aircraft,  but  none 
was  seen. 

"If  they  are  spying  on  us,  which  is  probably 

the  case,"  said  Tom,  "they  will  wonder  what 

we're  up  to.    I'll  keep  'em  guessing.    I  think  I'll 

fly  low  over  Mr.  Foger's  house,  and  see  if  Andy 

.  has  his  airship  there.    We'll  give  him  a  salute." 

Before  doing  this,  however,  Tom  had  picked 
out  a  good  landing  place  in  a  clearing  in  the 
Woods,  and  had  arranged  some  incandescent  lights 
on  high  branches  of  trees.  The  lights  enclosed  a 
square,  in  the  centre  of  which  the  Falcon  was  to 
drop  down. 

Of  course  it  was  necessary  to  descend  to  do 
this,  to  arrange  the  storage  battery  and  the  clock 
switch.  Then,  so  as  to  throw  their  enemies  off 
their  track,  they  made  landings  in  several  other 


'A  FALSE  CLEW 


I27 


places,  though  they  did  nothing,  merely  staying 
there  as  a  sort  of  "bluff"  as  Ned  called  it. 

"They'll  have  their  own  troubles  if  they  in- 
vestigate every  place  we  stopped  at,"  remarked 
Tom,  "and,  even  if  they  do  hit  on  the  one  we 
have  selected  for  our  camp  they  won't  see  the 
lights  in  the  trees,  for  they're  well  hidden." 

This  work  done,  they  flew  back  toward  Logans- 
yille,  and  sailed  over  Andy's  house. 

"There  he  is,  on  the  roof,  working  at  his  air- 
ship!" exclaimed  Ned,  as  they  came  within  view- 
ing distance,  and,  surely  enough,  there  was  the 
bully,  tinkering  away  at  his  craft.  Tom  flew 
low  enough  down  to  speak  to  him,  and,  as  the 
Falcon  produced  no  noise,  it  was  not  difficult  to 
make  their  voices  heard. 

"Hello,  Andy!"  called  Tom,  as  he  swept  slowly 
overhead. 

Andy  looked  up,  but  only  scowled. 

"Nice  day;  isn't  it?"  put  in  Ned. 

"You  get  on  away  from  here!"  burst  out  the 
bully.  "You  are  trespassing,  by  flying  over  my 
house,  and  I  could  have  you  arrested  for  it.  Keep 
away." 

"All  right,"  agreed  Tom  with  a  laugh.  "Don't 
trespass  by  flying  over  our  ship,  Andy.  We  also 
might  have  a  gun  to  shoot  searchlights  with,"  h» 
Added. 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 


Andy  started,  but  did  not  reply,  though  Tom, 
who  was  watching  him  closely,  thought  he  saw 
an  expression  of  fear  come  over  the  bully's  face. 

"Do  you  think  it  was  Andy  who  did  the  shoot- 
ing?" asked  Ned. 

"No,  he  hasn't  the  nerve,"  replied  Tom.  "I 
don't  know  what  to  think  about  that  affair  last 
night." 

"Excepting  that  the  smugglers  are  getting 
afraid  of  you,  and  want  to  get  you  out  of  the 
way,"  put  in  the  custom  official. 

That  night,  when  'k  was  very  dark,  the  Falcon 
noiselessly  made  her  way  upward  and  sailed  along 
until  she  was  over  the  square  in  the  forest,  marked 
out  by  the  four  lights.  Then  Tom  sent  her  safely 
down. 

"Now  let  'em  find  us  if  they  can!"  the  young 
inventor  exclaimed,  as  he  made  the  craft  fast. 
*  We'll  turn  in  now,  and  see  what  happens  to- 
morrow night." 

"I'll  send  you  word,  just  as  soon  as  I  get  any 
myself,"  promised  Mr.  Whitford,  when  he  left 
the  next  morning. 

Tom  and  Ned  spent  the  day  in  going  over  the 
airship,  making  some  minor  repairs  to  it,  and 
polishing  and  oiling  the  mechanism  of  the  search- 
light, to  have  it  in  the  best  possible  condition. 

It  was  about  dusk  when  the  wireless  outfit,  with 


rA  FALSE  CLEW  129 

Which  the  Falcon  was  fitted,  began  snapping  and 
Cracking. 

"Here  comes  a  message!"  cried  Tom,  as  he 
clapped  the  receiver  over  his  head,  and  began  to 


translate  the  dots  and  dashes. 

"It's  from  Mr.  Whitford!"  he  exclaimed,  when 
he  had  written  it  down,  and  had  sent  back  an 
answer.  "He  says:  'Have  a  tip  that  smugglers 
will  try  to  get  goods  over  the  border  at  some 
point  near  Niagara  Falls  to-morrow  night.  Can 
you  go  there,  and  cruise  about?  Better  keep  to- 
ward Lake  Ontario  also.  I  will  be  with  you. 
Answer/  " 

"What  answer  did  you  send?"  asked  Ned. 

"I  told  him  we'd  be  on  the  job.  It's  quite  a 
Jittle  run  to  make,  and  we  can't  start  until  after 
dark,  or  otherwise  some  of  the  smugglers  around 
here  may  see  us,  and  tip  off  their  confederates. 
But  I  guess  we  can  make  the  distance  all  right." 

Mr.  Whitford  arrived  at  the  airship  the  next 
afternoon,  stating  that  he  had  news  from  one  of 
the  government  spies  to  the  effect  that  a  bold 
attempt  would  be  made  that  night. 

"They're  going  to  try  and  smuggle  some  dia- 
monds over  on  this  trip,"  said  the  custom  agent. 

"Well,  we'll  try  to  nab  them!"  exclaimed  Tom. 

As  soon  as  it  was  dark  enough  to  conceal  her 
movements,  the  Falcon  was  sent  aloft,  not  a  light 


1.3° 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 


showing,  and,  when  on  high,  Tom  started  trie 
motor  at  full  speed.  The  great  propellers  noise- 
lessly beat  the  air,  and  the  powerful  craft  was 
headed  for  Lake  Ontario. 

"They're  pretty  good,  if  they  attempted  to 
cross  the  lake  to-night,"  observed  the  young  in- 
yentor,  as  he  looked  at  the  barometer. 

"Why  so?"  asked  Ned. 

"Because  there's  a  bad  storm  coming  up.  I 
shouldn't  want  to  risk  it.  We'll  keep  near  shore. 
We  can  nab  them  there  as  good  as  over  the  lake." 

This  plan  was  adopted,  and  as  soon  as  they 
reached  the  great  body  of  water — the  last  in  the 
chain  of  the  Great  Lakes — Tom  cruised  about, 
he  and  Ned  watching  through  powerful  night 
glasses  for  a  glimpse  of  another  airship. 

Far  into  the  night  they  sailed  about,  covering 
many  miles,  for  Tom  ran  at  almost  top  speed. 
They  sailed  over  Niagara  Falls,  and  then  well 
along  the  southern  shore  of  Ontario,  working 
their  way  north-east  and  back  again.  But  not  a 
sign  of  the  smugglers  did  they  see. 

Meanwhile  the  wind  had  arisen  until  it  was  a 
gale,  and  it  began  to  rain.  Gently  at  first  the 
drops  came  down,  until  at  length  there  was  a 
fcorrent  of  water  descending  from  the  overhead 
clouds.  But  those  in  the  Falcon  were  in  no  dis* 
comfort. 


'A  FALSE  CLEW 

"It's  a  bad  storm  all  right!"  exclaimed  Tom, 
as  he  looked  at  the  barometer,  and  noted  that  the 
mercury  was  still  falling. 

"Yes,  and  we  have  had  our  trouble  for  our 
pains!"  declared  Mr.  Whitford. 

"What  do  you  mean?" 

"I  mean  I  believe  that  we  have  been  deceived 
by  a  false  clew.  The  smugglers  probably  had  no 
intention  of  getting  goods  across  at  this  point  to- 
night. They  saw  to  it  that  my  agent  got  false  in- 
formation, believing  that  we  would  follow  it,  and 
leave  the  vicinity  of  Logansville. " 

"So  they  could  operate  there?"  asked  Tom. 

"That's  it,"  replied  the  agent.  "They  drew  us 
off  the  scent.  There's  no  help  for  it.  We  must 
get  back  as  soon  as  we  can.  My !  This  is  a  bad 
storm!"  he  added,  as  a  blast  careened  the  airship. 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE  RESCUE  ON  THE  LAKE 

FOR  a  time  the  Falcon  shot  onward  through  the 
Storm  and  darkness,  for  Tom  did  not  want  to 
give  up.  With  but  a  single  shaded  light  in  the 
pilot  house,  so  that  he  could  see  to  read  the  gauges 
and  dials,  telling  of  the  condition  of  the  ma- 
chinery in  the  motor  room,  he  pushed  his  stanch 
craft  ahead.  At  times  she  would  be  forced  down- 
ward toward  the  angry  waters  of  Lake  Ontario, 
over  which  she  was  sailing,  but  the  speed  of  her 
propellers  and  the  buoyancy  of  the  gas  bag,  would 
soon  lift  her  again. 

"How  much  longer  are  you  going  to  stay?" 
called  Ned  in  his  chum's  ear — called  loudly,  not 
to  be  heard  above  the  noise  of  the  airship,  but 
above  the  racket  of  the  gale. 

"Oh,  I  guess  we  may  as  well  start  back,"  spok? 
Tom,  after  a  look  at  the  clock  on  the  wall.  "W* 
can  just  about  make  our  camp  by  daylight,  and 
they  won't  see  us." 

"It  won't  be  light  very  early,"  observed  Mr* 
132 


THE  RESCUE  ON  THE  LAKE  133 

Whitford,  looking  in  the  pilot  house  from  the: 
cabin  just  aft  of  it.  "But  there  is  no  use  waiting 
around  here  any  more,  Tom.  They  gave  us  a 
false  clew,  all  right." 

"Bless  my  police  badge!"  cried  Mr.  Damon. 
"They  must  be  getting  desperate." 

"I  believe  they  are,"  went  on  the  custom  officer. 
"They  are  afraid  of  us,  and  that's  a  good  sign. 
We'll  keep  right  after  'em,  too.  If  we  don't  get 
'em  this  week,  we  will  next.  Better  put  back." 

"I  will,"  decided  the  young  inventor. 

"It  certainly  is  a  gale,"  declared  Ned,  as  he 
made  his  way  along  a  dim  passage,  as  few  lights 
had  been  set  aglow,  for  fear  of  the  smugglers  see- 
ing the  craft  outlined  in  the  air.  Now,  however, 
when  it  was  almost  certain  that  they  were  on  the 
wrong  scent,  Tom  switched  on  the  incandescents, 
making  the  interior  of  the  Falcon  more  pleasant. 

The  giant  came  into  the  pilot  house  to  help 
Tom,  and  the  airship  was  turned  about,  and  headed  ' 
toward  Logansville.  The  wind  was  now  sweep- 
ing from  the  north  across  Lake  Ontario,  and  it 
was  all  the  powerful  craft  could  do  to  make  head- 
way against  it. 

There  came  a  terrific  blast,  which,  in  spite  of 
all  that  Tom  and  Koku  could  do,  forced  the 
Falcon  down,  dangerously  close  to  the  dashing 
billows. 


I34  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHl 

"Hard  over,  Koku!"  called  Tom  to  his  giant. 

As  the  airship  began  to  respond  to  the  powef 
of  her  propellers,  and  the  up-tilted  rudder,  Torn 
heard,  from  somewhere  below  him,  a  series  of 
shrill  blasts  on  a  whistle. 

"What's  that?"  he  cried. 

"Sounds  like  a  boat  below  us,"  answered  Mr. 
Whitford. 

"I  guess  it  is,"  agreed  the  young  inventor. 
"There  she  goes  again." 

Once  more  came  the  frantic  tooting  of  a 
whistle,  and  mingled  with  it  could  be  heard  voices 
shouting  in  fear,  but  it  was  only  a  confused  mur- 
mur of  sound.  No  words  could  be  made  out. 

"That's  a  compressed  air  whistle!"  decided 
Tom.  "It  must  be  some  sort  of  a  motor  boat  in 
distress.  Quick,  Mr.  Whitford!  Tell  Ned  to 
switch  on  the  searchlight,  and  play  it  right  down 
on  the  lake.  If  there's  a  boat  in  this  storm  it  can't 
last  long.  Even  an  ocean  liner  would  have 
trouble.  Get  the  light  on  quick,  and  we'll  see 
what  we  can  do!" 

It  was  the  work  of  but  an  instant  to  convey 
the  message  to  Ned.  The  latter  called  Mr.  Damon 
to  relieve  him  in  the  motor  room,  and,  a  few 
seconds  later,  Ned  had  switched  on  the  electricity. 
By  means  of  the  lazy-tongs,  and  the  toggle  joints, 
the  bank  clerk  lifted  the  lantern  over  until  the 


THE  RESCUE  ON  THE  LAKE      133 

powerful  beam  from  it  was  projected  straight 
down  into  the  seething  waters  of  the  lake. 

"Do  you  see  anything?"  asked  Mr.  Damon 
from  the  motor  room,  at  one  side  of  which  Ned 
stood  to  operate  the  lantern. 

"Nothing  but  white-caps,"  was  the  answer. 
"It's  a  fearful  storm." 

Once  more  came  the  series  of  shrill  whistles, 
and  the  confused  calling  of  voices.  Ned  opened 
a  window,  in  order  to  hear  more  plainly.  As  the 
whistle  tooted  again  he  could  locate  the  sound, 
and,  by  swinging  the  rays  of  the  searchlight  to 
and  fro  he  finally  picked  up  the  craft. 

"There  she  is!"  he  cried,  peering  down  through 
the  plate  glass  window  in  the  floor  of  the  motor 
room.  "It's  a  small  gasolene  boat,  and  there  are 
several  men  in  her!  She's  having  a  hard  time." 

"Can  we  rescue  them?"  asked  Mr.  Damoa 

"If  anybody  can,  Tom  Swift  will,"  was  Ned's 
reply.  Then  came  a  whistle  from  the  speaking 
tube,  that  led  to  the  pilot  house. 

"What  is  it?"  asked  Ned,  putting  the  tube  to 
his  ear. 

"Stand  by  for  a  rescue!"  ordered  Tom,  whb 
had  also,  through  a  window  in  the  floor  of  the 
pilot  house,  seen  the  hapless  motor  boat.  The 
men  in  it  were  frantically  waving  their  hands  to 
those  on  the  airship.  "I'm  going  down  as  close  as 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

I  dare,"  went  on  Tom.  "You  watch,  and  when 
it's  time,  have  Koku  drop  from  the  stern  a  long, 
knotted  rope.  That  will  be  a  sort  of  ladder,  and 
they  can  make  it  fast  to  their  boat  and  climb  up, 
hand  over  hand.  It's  the  only  plan." 

"Good!"  cried  Ned.  "Send  Koku  to  me.  Can 
you  manage  alone  in  the  pilot  house?" 

"Yes,"  came  back  the  answer  through  the  tube. 

Koku  came  back  on  the  run,  and  was  soon 
tying  knots  in  a  strong  rope.  Meanwhile  Ned 
kept  the  light  on  the  tossing  boat,  while  Tom, 
through  a  megaphone  had  called  to  the  men  to 
stand  by  to  be  rescued.  The  whistle  frantically 
tooted  their  thanks. 

Koku  went  out  on  the  after  deck,  and,  having 
made  the  knotted  rope  fast,  dropped  the  end 
overboard.  Then  began  a  difficult  feature  of  air- 
ship steering.  Tom,  looking  down  through  the 
glass,  watched  the  boat  in  the  glare  of  the  light. 
Now  coming  forward,  now  reversing  against  the 
rush  of  the  wind ;  now  going  up,  and  now  down, 
the  young  inventor  so  directed  the  course  of  his 
airship  so  that,  finally,  the  rope  dragged  squarely 
across  the  tossing  boat. 

In  a  trice  the  men  grabbed  it,  and  made  it  fast. 
Then  Tom  had  another  difficult  task — that  of  not 
allowing  the  rope  to  become  taut,  or  the  drag  of 
the  boat,  and  the  uplift  of  the  airship  might  have 


THE  RESCUE  ON  THE  LAKE 

snapped  it  in  twain.  But  he  handled  his  delicate 
craft  of  the  air  as  confidently  as  the  captain  of  a 
big  liner  brings  her  skillfully  to  the  dock  against 
wind  and  tide. 

"Climb  up!  Climb  up!"  yelled  Tom,  through 
the  megaphone,  and  he  saw,  not  a  man,  but  a 
woman,  ascending  the  knotted  rope,  hand  over 
hand,  toward  the  airship  that  hovered  above  her 
head. 


CHAPTER   XVI 


KOKU'S    PRISONER 


"BLESS  my  knitting  needles !"  cried  Mr.  Damoflj 
as  he  looked  down,  and  saw,  in  the  glare  of  the 


,  V>»       great  light,  the  figure  of  the  woman  clinging  to 
\  the  swaying  rope.    "Help  her,  someone!    Tom! 


Ned!    She'll  fall!" 
*^ 


A 


The  eccentric  man  started  to  rush  from  the 
motor  room,  where  he  had  been  helping  Ned. 
But  the  latter  cried  : 

"Stay  where  you  are,  Mr.  Damon.  No  one 
can  reach  her  now  without  danger  to  himself  and 
her.  She  can  climb  up,  I  think." 

Past  knot  after  knot  the  woman  passed,  mount- 
ing steadily  upward,  with  a  strength  that  seemed 
remarkable. 

"Come  on!"  cried  Tom  to  the  others.  "Don't 
wait  until  she  gets  up.  There  isn't  time.  Come 
on  —  the  rope  will  hold  you  all!  Climb  up!" 

The  men  in  the  tossing  and  bobbing  motor 
boat  heard,  and  at  once  began,  one  after  the  other, 
to  clamber  up  the  rope.  There  were  five  of  them, 
as  could  be  seen  in  the  glare  of  the  light,  and 

138 


KOKU'S  PRISONER  139 

Tom,  as  he  watched,  wondered  what  they  were 
doing  out  in  the  terrific  storm  at  that  early  hour 
of  the  morning,  and  with  a  lone  woman. 

"Stand  by  to  help  her,  Koku!"  called  Ned  to 
the  giant. 

"I  help,"  was  the  giant's  simple  reply,  and  as 
the  woman's  head  came  above  the  rail,  over  which 
the  rope  ran,  Koku,  leaning  forward,  raised  her 
in  his  powerful  arms,  and  set  her  carefully  on 
the  deck. 

"Come  into  the  cabin,  please,"  Ned  called  to 
her.  "Come  in  out  of  the  wet." 

"Oh,  it  seems  a  miracle  that  we  are  saved!" 
the  woman  gasped,  as,  rain-drenched  and  wind- 
tossed,  she  staggered  toward  the  door  which  Tom 
had  opened  by  means  of  a  lever  in  the  pilot  house. 
The  young  inventor  had  his  hands  full,  manipu- 
lating the  airship  so  as  to  keep  it  above  the  motor 
boat,  and  not  bring  too  great  a  strain  on  the  rope. 

The  woman  passed  into  the  cabin,  which  was 
between  the  motor  room  and  the  pilot  house,  and 
Ned  saw  her  throw  herself  on  her  knees,  and 
offer  up  a  fervent  prayer  of  thanksgiving.  Then, 
springing  to  her  feet,  she  cried: 

"My  husband?     Is  he  safe?     Can  you  save 
him?    Oh,  how  wonderful  that  this  airship  cam< 
in  answer  to  our  appeals  to  Providence.    Who* 
is  it?" 


140  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

Before  Ned  got  a  chance  to  answer  her,  as 
she  came  to  the  door  of  the  motor  room,  a  man's 
yoice  called : 

"My  wife!    Is  she  safe?" 

"Yes,  here  I  am,"  replied  the  woman,  and  a 
moment  later  the  two  were  in  each  other's  arms. 

"The  others;  are  they  safe?"  gasped  the 
woman,  after  a  pause. 

"Yes,"  replied  the  man.  "They  are  coming  up 
the  rope.  Oh,  what  a  wonderful  rescue!  And 
that  giant  man  who  lifted  us  up  on  deck!  Oh, 
do  you  recall  in  Africa  how  we  were  also  rescued 
by  airship— — " 

"Come  on  now,  I  got  you!"  interrupted  the 
voice  of  Koku  out  on  the  after  deck,  and  there 
was  a  series  of  thumps  that  told  when  he  had 
lifted  the  men  over  the  rail,  and  set  them  down. 

"All  saved!"  cried  the  giant  at  last. 

"Then  cut  the  rope!"  shouted  Tom.  "We've 
got  to  get  out  of  this,  for  it's  growing  worse!" 

There  was  the  sound  of  a  hatchet  blow,  and  the 
airship  shot  upward.  Into  the  cabin  came  the 
dripping  figures  of  the  other  men,  and  Ned,  as  he 
stood  by  the  great  searchlight,  felt  a  wave  of 
wonder  sweep  over  him  as  he  listened  to  the 
[voices  of  the  first  man  and  woman. 

He  knew  he  had  heard  them  before,  and,  when 
ie  listened  to  the  remark  about  a  rescue  by  air- 


KOKU'S  PRISONER  141 

ship,  in  Africa,  a  flood  of  memory  came  to  him. 

"Can  it  be  possible  that  these  are  the  same 
missionaries  whom  Tom  and  I  rescued  from  the 
red  pygmies?"  he  murmured.  "I  must  get  a  look 
at  them." 

"Our  boat,  it  is  gone  I  suppose,"  remarked  one 
of  the  other  men,  coming  into  the  motor  room. 

"I'm  afraid  so,"  answered  Ned,  as  he  played 
the  light  on  the  doomed  craft.  Even  as  he  did 
so  he  saw  a  great  wave  engulf  her,  and,  a  mo- 
ment later  she  sank.  "She's  gone,"  he  said  softly. 

"Too  bad!"  exclaimed  the  man.  "She  was  a 
fine  little  craft.  But  how  in  the  world  did  you 
happen  along  to  rescue  us?  Whose  airship  is 
this?" 

"Tom  Swift's,"  answered  Ned,  and,  at  the 
sound  of  the  name  the  woman  uttered  a  cry,  as 
she  rushed  into  the  motor  room. 

"Tom  Swift!"  she  exclaimed.  "Where  is  he?  ] 
Oh,  can  it  be  possible  that  it  is  the  same  Tom  j 
Swift  that  rescued  us  in  Africa?" 

"I  think  it  is,  Mrs.   Illingway,"  spoke   Ned 
quietly,  for  he  now  recognized  the  missionary,/ 
though  he  wondered  what  she  and  her  husband' 
were  doing  so  far  from  the  Dark  Continent. 

"Oh,  I  know  you — you're  Ned  Newton — Tom's 
chum!  Oh,  I  am  so  glad!  Where  is  Tom?" 


I42  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

"In  the  pilot  house.  He'll  be  here  in  a  mo- 
ment." 

Tom  came  in  at  that  juncture,  having  set  the 
automatic  steering  geer  to  take  the  ship  on  her 
homeward  course. 

"Are  they  all  saved?"  he  asked,  looking  at  the 
little  group  of  persons  who  had  climbed  up  from 
the  motor  boat.  "Mr.  Damon,  you  had  better 
make  some  hot  coffee.  Koku,  you  help.  I " 

"Tom  Swift!"  cried  out  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Illing- 
way  together,  as  they  made  a  rush  for  the  young 
inventor.  "Don't  you  know  us?" 

To  say  that  Tom  was  surprised  at  this,  would 
be  putting  it  mildly.  He  had  to  lean  up  against 
the  side  of  the  cabin  for  support. 

"Mrs.  Illingway!"  he  gasped.  "You  here — » 
were  you  in  that  boat?" 

"Yes,  it's  all  very  simple.  My  husband  and  I 
are  on  a  vacation  for  a  year.  We  got  fever  and 
had  to  leave  Africa.  We  are  staying  with  friends 
at  a  resort  on  the  lake  shore.  These  are  our 
friends,"  she  went  on,  introducing  the  other  gen- 
tlemen. 

"We  went  out  for  a  trip  in  the  motor  boat," 
the  missionary  continued,  "but  we  went  too  far. 
Our  motor  broke  down,  we  could  get  no  help, 
and  the  storm  came  up.  We  thought  we  were 
doomed,  until  we  saw  your  lights.  I  guessed  ft 


KOKU'S  PRISONER 

was  a  balloon,  or  some  sort  of  an  airship,  and  we 
whistled,  and  called  for  help.    Then  you  rescued 
us !    Oh,  it  is  almost  too  wonderful  to  believe.    It) 
is  a  good  thing  I  have  practiced  athletics  or  I/ 
never  could  have  climbed  that  rope." 

"It  is  like  a  story  from  a  book!"  added  Mr. 
Illingway,  as  he  grasped  Tom's  hand.  "You  res- 
cued us  in  Africa  and  again  here."  I  may  say 
here  that  the  African  rescue  is  told  in  detail  in 
the  volume  entitled,  "Tom  Swift  and  His  Elec- 
tric Rifle.11 

The  shipwrecked  persons  were  made  as  com- 
fortable as  possible.  There  was  plenty  of  room 
for  them,  and  soon  they  were  sitting  around  warm 
electric  heaters,  drinking  hot  coffee,  and  telling 
their  adventures  over  again.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Illing- 
way said  they  soon  expected  to  return  to  Africa. 

Tom  told  how  he  happened  to  be  sailing  over 
the  lake,  on  the  lookout  for  smugglers,  and  how 
he  had  been  disappointed. 

"And  it's  a  good  thing  you  were — for  our 
sakes,"  put  in  Mrs.  Illingway,  with  a  smile. 

"Where  do  you  want  to  be  landed?"  asked 
Tom.  "I  don't  want  to  take  you  all  the  way  back 
to  Logansville." 

"If  you  will  land  us  anywhere  near  a  city  or 
town,  we  can  arrange  to  be  taken  back  to  our 
cottage,"  said  one  of  the  men,  and  Tom  sent  the 


U44  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT! 

airship  down  until,  in  the  gray  dawn  of  the  morn- 
ing, they  could  pick  out  a  large  village  on  the  lake 
ehore.  Then,  in  much  better  condition  than  when 
they  had  been  saved,  the  rescued  ones  alighted, 
showering  Tom  and  the  others  with  thanks,  and 
sought  a  hotel. 

"And  now  for  our  camp,  and  a  good  rest!" 
cried  the  young  inventor,  as  he  sent  the  airship 
aloft  again. 

They  reached  their  camp  in  the  forest  clear- 
ing without  having  been  observed,  as  far  as  they 
could  learn,  and  at  once  set  about  making  things 
snug,  for  the  storm  was  still  raging. 

"I  don't  believe  any  of  the  smugglers  were 
abroad  last  night,"  remarked  Mr.  Whit  ford,  as 
he  prepared  to  go  back  into  town,  he  having  come 
out  on  horseback,  leaving  the  animal  over  night 
in  an  improvised  stable  they  had  made  in  the 
Woods  of  boughs  and  tree  branches. 

"I  hope  not,"  replied  Tom,  but  the  next  day, 
when  the  government  agent  called  again,  his  face 
wore  a  look  of  despair. 

"They  put  a  big  one  over  on  us  the  night  of 
the  rescue,"  he  said.  "They  flew  right  across  the 
border  near  Logansville,  and  got  away  with  a  lot 
of  goods.  They  fooled  us  all  right." 

"Can  you  find  out  who  gave  the  wrong  tip?" 
asked  Tom. 


KOKU'S  PRISONER  145 

"Yes,  I  know  the  man.  He  pretended  to  be 
friendly  to  one  of  my  agents,  but  he  was  only 
deceiving  him.  But  we'll  get  the  smugglers  yet!" 

"That's  what  we  will!"  cried  Tom,  deter- 
minedly. 

Several  days  passed,  and  during  the  night  time 
Tom,  in  his  airship,  and  with  the  great  search- 
light aglow,  flew  back  and  forth  across  the  bor- 
der, seeking  the  elusive  airships,  but  did  not  see 
them.  In  the  meanwhile  he  heard  from  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Illingway,  who  sent  him  a  letter  of  thanks, 
and  a"sked  him  to  come  and  see  them,  but,  much 
as  Tom  would  liked  to  have  gone,  he  did  not 
have  the  time. 

It  was  about  a  week  after  the  sensational  res- 
cue, when  one  evening,  as  Tom  was  about  to  get 
ready  for  a  night  flight,  he  happened  to  be  in  the 
pilot  house  making  adjustments  to  some  of  the 
apparatus. 

Mr.  Damon  and  Ned  had  gone  out  for  a  walk 
in  the  woods,  and  Mr.  Whitford  had  not  yet 
arrived.  As  for  Koku,  Tom  did  not  know  where 
his  giant  servant  was. 

Suddenly  there  was  a  commotion  outside.  A 
trampling  in  the  bushes,  and  the  breaking  of 
sticks  under  feet. 

"I  got  you  now!"  cried  the  voice  of  the  giant. 

Tom  sprang  to  the  window  of  the  pilot  house. 


146  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

He  saw  Koku  tightly  holding  a  man  who  was 
squirming  about,  and  doing  his  best  to  break 
away.  But  it  was  useless.  When  Koku  got  hold 
of  any  one,  that  person  had  to  stay. 

"What  is  it,  Koku!"  cried  Tom. 

"I  got  him!"  cried  the  giant.  "He  sneaking  up 
ion  airship,  but  I  come  behind  and  grab  him/' 
and  Koku  fairly  lifted  his  prisoner  off  his  feet 
and  started  with  him  toward  the  Falcon. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

WHAT  THE  INDIAN  SAW 

"HELLO!"  cried  Tom.    "What's  up,  Koku?" 

"Him  up!"  replied  the  giant  with  a  laugh,  as  he 
looked  at  his  squirming  prisoner,  whose  feet  he 
had  lifted  from  the  ground. 

"No,  I  mean  what  was  he  doing?"  went  on 
Tom,  with  a  smile  at  the  literal  way  in  which  the 
giant  had  answered  his  question. 

"I  wasn't  doing  anything!"  broke  in  the  man. 
"I'd  like  to  know  if  I  haven't  a  right  to  walk 
through  these  woods,  without  being  grabbed  up 
by  a  man  as  big  as  a  mountain  ?  There'll  be  some- 
thing up  that  you  won't  like,  if  you  don't  let  me 
go,  too!"  and  he  struggled  fiercely,  but  he  was  no 
match  for  giant  Koku. 

"What  was  he  doing?""  asked  Tom  of  his  big 
servant,  ignoring  the  man.  Tom  looked  closely 
at  him,  however,  but  could  not  remember  to  have 
seen  him  before. 

"I  walking  along  in  woods,  listen  to  birds  sing," 
said  Koku  simply,  taking  a  firmer  hold  on  his 
victim,  "I  see  this  fellow  come  along,  and  crawl 

147 


348  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

through  grass  like  so  a  snake  wiggle.  I  to  myself 
think  that  funny,  and  I  watch.  This  man  he 
wiggle  more.  He  wiggle  more  still,  and  then  he 
watch.  I  watch  too.  I  see  him  have  knife  in 
hand,  but  I  am  no  afraid.  I  begin  to  go  like 
snake  also,  but  I  bigger  snake  than  he. " 

"I  guess  so,"  laughed  Tom,  as  he  watched  the 
man  trying  in  vain  to  get  out  of  Koku's  grip. 

"Then  I  see  man  look  up  at  balloon  bag,  so  as 
if  he  like  to  cut  it  with  knife.  I  say  to  myself, 
'Koku,  it  is  time  for  you  to  go  into  business  for 
yourself.'  You  stand  under  me?" 

"I  understand!"  exclaimed  Tom.  "You 
thought  it  was  time  for  you  to  get  busy." 

"Sure,"  replied  Koku.  "Well,  I  get  business, 
I  give  one  jump,  and  I  am  so  unlucky  as  to  jump 
with  one  foot  on  him,  but  I  did  not  mean  it.  I 
go  as  gentle  as  I  can." 

"Gentle?  You  nearly  knocked  the  wind  out  of 
me!"  snarled  the  prisoner.  "Gentle!  Huh!" 

"I  guess  he  was  the  unlucky  one,  instead  of 
you,"  put  in  Tom.  "Well,  what  happened  next?" 

"I  grab  him,  and — he  is  still  here,"  said  Koku 
simply.  "He  throw  knife  away  though." 

"I  see,"  spoke  Tom.  "Now  will  you  give  an 
account  of  yourself,  or  shall  I  hand  you  over  to 
the  police?"  he  asked  sternly  of  the  man.  "What 
Were  you  sneaking  up  on  us  "in  that  fashion  for£* 


WHAT  THE  INDIAN  SAW,  149 

"Well,  I  guess  this  isn't  your  property!" 
blustered  the  man.  "I  have  as  good  a  right  here 
as  you  have,  and  you  can't  have  me  arrested  for 
that." 

"Perhaps  not,"  admitted  Tom.  "You  may 
have  a  right  on  this  land,  but  if  you  are  honest, 
and  had  no  bad  intentions,  why  were  you  sneak- 
ing up,  trying  to  keep  out  of  sight?  And  why 
did  you  have  a  big  knife?" 

"That's  my  business,  young  man." 

"All  right,  then  I'll  make  it  my  business,  too," 
went  on  the  young  inventor.  "Hold  him,  Koku, 
until  I  can  find  Mr.  Damon,  or  Ned,  and  I'll  see 
what's  best  to  be  done.  I  wish  Mr.  Whitford 
was  here." 

"Aren't  you  going  to  let  me  go?"  demanded 
the  man. 

"I  certainly  am  not!"  declared  Tom  firmly. 
"I'm  going  to  find  out  more  about  you.  I  haven't 
any  objections  to  any  one  coming  to  look  at  my 
airship,  out  of  curiosity,  but  when  they  come  up 
like  a  snake  in  the  grass  and  with  a  big  knife,  then 
I  get  suspicious,  and  I  want  to  know  more  about 
them." 

"Well,  you  won't  know  anything  more  about 
me!"  snarled  the  fellow.  "And  it  will  be  the 
worse  for  you,  if  you  don't  let  me  go.  You'd 
better!"  he  threatened. 


150  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT. 

"Don't  pay  any  attention  to  him,  Koku,"  said 
Tom.  "Maybe  you'd  better  tie  him  up.  You'll 
find  some  rope  in  the  motor  room." 

"Don't  you  dare  tie  me  up!"  blustered  the 
prisoner. 

"Go  ahead  and  tie  him,"  went  on  Tom.  "You'll 
be  free  to  guard  the  ship  then.  I'll  go  for  Ned 
and  Mr.  Damon." 

"Tie  who  up?  What's  the  matter?"  asked  a 
yoice,  and  a  moment  later  the  government  agent 
came  along  the  woodland  path  on  his  horse. 
"What's  up,  Tom?  Have  you  captured  a  wild 
animal?" 

"Not  exactly  a  wild  animal,  Mr.  Whitford 
But  a  wild  man.  I'm  glad  you  came  along.  Koku 
has  a  prisoner."  And  Tom  proceeded  to  relate 
what  had  happened. 

"Sneaking  up  on  you  with  a  knife;  eh?  I 
guess  he  meant  business  all  right,  and  bad  busi- 
ness, too,"  said  Mr.  Whitford.  "Let  me  get  a 
look  at  him,  Tom,"  for  Koku  had  taken  his 
prisoner  to  the  engine  room,  and  there,  amid  a 
storm  of  protests  and  after  a  futile  struggle  on 
the  part  of  the  fellow,  had  tied  him  securely. 

Tom  and  the  custom  officer  went  in  to  look  at 
the  man,  just  as  Ned  and  Mr.  Damon  came  bade 
•from  their  stroll  in  the  woods.  It  was  rapidly 
getting  dusk,  and  was  almost  time  for  the  start 


WHAT  THE  INDIAN  SAW 

of  the  usual  flight,  to  see  if  any  trace  could  be 
had  of  the  smugglers. 

"There  he  is,"  said  Tom,  waving  his  hand  to- 
ward the  bound  man  who  sat  in  a  chair  in  one 
corner  of  the  motor  room.  The  young  inventor 
switched  on  the  light,  and  a  moment  later  Mr. 
Whitford  exclaimed: 

"Great  Scott!    It's  Ike  Shafton!" 

"Do  you  know  him?"  asked  Tom  eagerly. 

"Know  him?  I  should  say  I  did!  Why  he's 
the  man  who  pretended  to  give  one  of  my  men 
information  about  smugglers  that  drew  us  off  on 
the  false  scent.  He  pretended  to  be  for  the 
government,  and,  all  the  while,  he  was  in  with  the 
smugglers!  Know  him?  I  should  say  I  did!" 

A  queer  change  had  come  over  the  prisoner  at 
the  sight  of  Mr.  Whitford.  No  longer  was  Shaf- 
ton surly  and  blustering.  Instead  he  seemed  to 
slink  down  in  his  chair,  bound  as  he  was,  as  if 
trying  to  get  out  of  sight. 

"Why  did  you  play  double?"  demanded  the 
government  agent,  striding  over  to  him. 

"I — I —  don't  hit  me!"  whined  Shafton. 

"Hit  you!  I'm  not  going  to  hit  you!"  ex- 
claimed Mr.  Whitford,  "but  I'm  going  to  searcH 
you,  and  then  I'm  going  to  wire  for  one  of 
men  to  take  you  in  custody." 

«J_I  Didn't  do  anything!" 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

"You  didn't;  eh?  Well,  we'll  see  what  th'e 
courts  think  of  giving  wrong  information  to 
Uncle  Sam  with  the  intent  to  aid  criminals.  Let's 
see  what  he's  got  in  his  pockets." 

The  spy  did  not  have  much,  but  at  a  sight  of 
one  piece  of  paper  Mr.  Whitford  uttered  a  cry 
of  surprise. 

"Ha!  This  is  worth  something!"  he  ex- 
claimed. "It  may  be  stale  news,  and  it  may  be 
something  for  the  future,  but  it's  worth  trying 
I  wonder  I  didn't  think  of  that  before." 

"What  is  it?"  asked  Tom. 

For  answer  the  custom  officer  held  out  a  scrap 
of  paper  on  which  was  written  one  word. 

ST.  REGIS. 

"What  does  it  mean,"  asked  Ned,  who,  with 
Mr.  Damon,  had  entered  the  motor  room,  and 
stood  curiously  regarding  the  scene. 

"Bless  my  napkin  ring!"  said  the  odd  man. 
"That's  the  name  of  a  hotel.  Do  you  suppose 
the  smugglers  are  stopping  there?" 

"Hardly,"  replied  Mr.  Whitford  with  a  smile. 
"But  St.  Regis  is  the  name  of  an  Indian  reser- 
vation in  the  upper  part  of  New  York  state,  right 
on  the  border,  and  in  the  corner  where  the  St. 
Lawrence  and  the  imaginary  dividing  line  between 
New  York  and  Canada  join.  I  begin  to  see  things 


WHAT  THE  INDIAN  SAW  153 


now.  The  smugglers  have  been  flying  over  the 
Indian  Reservation,  and  that's  why  they  have 
escaped  us  so  far.  We  never  thought  of  that 
spot.  Tom,  I  believe  we're  on  the  right  track  at 
last !  Shafton  was  probably  given  this  to  inform 
him  where  the  next  trick  would  be  turned,  so  he 
could  get  us  as  far  away  as  possible,  or,  maybe 
prevent  us  leaving  at  all." 

An  involuntary  start  on  the  part  of  the  prisoner' 
seemed  to  confirm  this,  but  he  kept  silent. 

"Of  course,"  went  on  Mr.  Whitford,  "they^ 
may  have  already  flown  over  the  St.  Regis  reser- 
vation, and  this  may  be  an  old  tip,  but  it's  worth 
following  up." 

"Why  don't  you  ask  him?"  Tom  wanted  to 
know,  as  he  nodded  toward  Shafton. 

"He  wouldn't  tell  the  truth.  I'll  put  him 
where  he  can't  get  away  to  warn  his  confed- 
erates, and  then  we'll  go  to  the  reservation.  And 
to  think  that  my  man  trusted  him!" 

Mr.  Whitford  was  soon  in  communication  with 
his  headquarters  by 'means  of  the  wireless  appar- 
atus on  Tom's  airship,  and  a  little  later  two  cus- 
tom officers  arrived,  with  an  extra  horse  on  which 
they  were  to  take  their  prisoner  back. 

"And  now  we'll  try  our  luck  once  more,"  said 
Mr.  Whitford  as  his  men  left  with  Shafton  se- 
curely bound.  "Can  you  make  the  reservation 


'154 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHUGHt 


in  good  time,  Tom?  It's  quite  a  distance,"  and 
he  pointed  it  out  on  the  map. 

"Oh,  I'll  do  it,"  promised  the  young  inventor, 
as  he  sent  his  powerful  craft  aloft  in  the  dark- 
ness. Then,  with  her  nose  pointed  in  the  right 
direction,  the  Falcon  beat  her  way  forward 
through  the  night,  flying  silently,  with  the  great 
searchlight  ready  for  instant  use. 

In  comparatively  short  time,  though  it  was 
rather  late  at  night,  they  reached  the  St.  Law- 
rence, and  then  it  was  an  easy  matter  to  drop 
down  into  the  midst  of  the  reservation  grounds. 
Though  the  Tedmen,  whom  the  state  thus  quar- 
tered by  themselves,  had  all  retired,  they  swarmed 
out  of  their  cabins  as  the  powerful  light  flashed 
back  and  forth. 

"We  want  to  question  some  of  the  head  men 
of  the  tribe,"  said  Mr.  Whitford.  "I  know  some 
of  them,  for  on  several  occasions  I've  had  to 
come  here  to  look  into  rumors  that  tobacco  and 
liquor  and  other  contrabrand  goods,  dear  to  the 
Indian  heart,  were  smuggled  into  the  reservation 
against  the  law.  I  never  caught  any  of  them 
at  it  though."  i 

With  gutteral  exclamations,  and  many  grunts 
of  surprise,  the  redmen  gathered  around  the  big 
airship.  It  was  too  much  even  for  their  usual 
reserve,  and  they  jabbered  among  themselves. 


WHAT  THE  INDIAN  SAW  155 

"How  Big  Foot!"  greeted  the  custom  officer, 
to  one  Indian  who  had  an  extremely  large  left 
foot.  "How!" 

"How!"  responded  the  Indian,  with  a  grunt. 

"Plenty  much  fine  air-bird;  eh?"  and  the  agent 
Waved  his  hand  toward  the  Falcon. 

"  Yep.    Plenty  much  big. " 

"Big  Foot  never  see  bird  like  this;  eh?" 

"Oh  sure.  Big  Foot  see  before  many  times. 
Huh!" 

"What!  Has  he  seen  this  before?"  asked  Tom. 

"No.  Wait  a  minute,"  cautioned  Mr.  Whit- 
ford.  "I'm  on  the  track  of  something.  Big  Foot 
see  air-bird  like  this?"  he  questioned. 

"Sure.  Fly  over  Indians'  land  many  times. 
Not  same  as  him,"  and  he  nodded  toward  Tom's 
ship,  "but  plenty  much  like.  Make  heap  noise. 
Come  down  once — break  wheel  mebby.  Indians 
help  fix.  Indians  get  firewater.  You  got  fire- 
water in  your  air-bird?" 

"No  firewater,  but  maybe  we've  got  some  to- 
bacco, if  you  tell  us  what  we  want  to  know,  Big 
Foot.  And  so  you've  seen  air-birds  flying  around 
here  before?" 

"Sure.  Heap  times.  We  all  see,"  and  he  waved 
his  hand  to  indicate  the  redmen  gathered  around 
him. 

There  came  grunts  of  confirmation. 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

"We're  getting  there!"  exclaimed  Mr.  Whit- 
ford  to  Tom.  "We're  on  the  right  track  now. 
Which  way  air-birds  come,  Big  Foot?" 

"Over  there,"  and  he  pointed  toward  Canada. 

"Which  way  go?" 

"Over  there,"  and  he  pointed  toward  the  east, 
in  the  direction  of  Shopton,  as  much  as  any- 
where. 

"That's  what  we  want  to  know.  Tom,  we'll 
just  hang  around  here  for  a  while,  until  one  of 
the  smugglers'  airships  pass  over  head.  I  believe 
one  is  due  to-night,  and  that's  why  Shafton  had 
that  paper.  It  was  sent  to  him  to  tip  him  off.  He 
was  sneaking  up,  trying  to  put  your  airship  out 
of  commission  when  Koku  caught  him.  These 
Indians  have  used  their  eyes  to  good  advantage. 
I  think  we're  on  the  trail  at  last." 

"Baccy  for  Big  Foot?"  asked  the  redman. 

"Yes,  plenty  of  it.  Tom,  give  them  some  of 
Koku's,  will  you?  I'll  settle  with  you  later," 
for  the  giant  had  formed  a  liking  for  the  weed, 
and  Tom  did  not  have  the  heart  to  stop  him  smok- 
ing a  pipe  once  in  a  while.  With  his  usual  prodi- 
gality, the  giant  had  brought  along  a  big  supply, 
and  some  of  this  was  soon  distributed  among  the 
Indians,  who  grunted  their  thanks. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE   PURSUIT 

"WHAT  plan  have  you  in  mind?"  asked  Toffi 
of  Mr.  Whitford,  when  some  of  the  Indians  had 
gone  back  to  their  shanties,  leaving  a  few  staring 
curiously  at  the  airship,  as  she  rested  on  the 
ground,  bathed  in  the  glow  of  her  electric  lights. 

"Well,  I  think  the  best  thing  we  can  do  is  just 
to  stay  right  here,  Tom;  all  night  if  need  be.  As 
Big  Foot  says,  there  have  been  airships  passing  ( 
overhead  at  frequent  intervals.  Of  course  that 
is  not  saying  that  they  were  the  smugglers,  but  I 
don't  see  who  else  they  could  be.  There's  no  meet 
going  on,  and  no  continental  race.  They  must  be 
the  smugglers." 

"I  think  so,"  put  in  Ned. 

"Bless  my  diamond  ring!"  exclaimed  Mr. 
Damon.  But  what  are  you  going  to  do  when  you 
see  them  overhead?" 

"Take  after  them,  of  course!"  exclaimed  Tom. 
"That's  what  we're  here  for;  isn't  it  Mr.  Whit- 
ford?" 

i57 


158  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

"Yes.  Do  you  think  you  can  rise  from  ttie 
ground,  and  take  after  them  in  time  to  stand  a 
chance  of  overhauling  them,  Tom?  You  know 
they  may  go  very  fast." 

"I  know,  but  I  don't  believe  they  can  beat  the 
'Falcon.  I'd  rather  wait  down  here  than  hover  in 
the  air.  It  isn't  as  dark  as  it  was  the  other  night, 
and  they  might  see  us  with  their  glasses.  Then 
they  would  turn  back,  and  we'd  have  our  trouble 
for  nothing.  They've  actually  got  to  cross  the 
border  with  smuggled  goods  before  the  law  can 
touch  them;  haven't  they?" 

"Yes,  I  couldn't  arrest  them  on  Canadian  ter- 
ritory, or  over  it.  I've  got  to  get  them  on  this 
side  of  the  border.  So  perhaps  it  will  be  as  well 
to  lie  here.  But  do  you  suppose  you  can  hear 
them  or  see  them,  as  they  fly  over?" 

"I'm  pretty  sure  I  can.  The  sound  of  their 
motor  and  the  whizz  of  the  propellers  carries  for 
some  distance.  And  then,  too,  I'm  going  to  set 
the  searchlight  to  play  a  beam  up  in  the  air.  If 
that  gets  focused  on  'em,  we'll  spot  'em  all  right" 

"But  suppose  they  see  it,  and  turn  back?" 

"I  don't  believe  they  will.  The  beam  will  come 
from  the  ground  straight  upward  you  know,  and 
they  won't  connect  it  with  my  ship." 

"But  that  fellow  who  was  sneaking  up  when 
Koku  caught  him,  may  find  some  way  to  warn 


THE  PURSUIT  159 

them  that  you  have  come  here,"  suggested  Ned. 

"He  won't  get  much  chance  to  communicate 
with  his  friends,  while  my  men  have  him,"  said 
Mr.  Whitford  significantly.  "I  guess  we'll  take 
a  chance  here,  Tom." 

So  it  was  arranged.  Everything  on  the  air- 
ship was  gotten  ready  for  a  quick  flight,  and  then 
Tom  set  his  great  searchlight  aglow  once  more. 
Its  powerful  beams  cut  upward  to  the  clouds, 
making  a  wonderful  illumination. 

"Now  all  we  have  to  do  is  to  wait  and  watch,*1 
remarked  Tom,  as  he  came  back  from  a  last  in- 
spection of  the  apparatus  in  the  motor  room. 

"And  that  is  sometimes  the  hardest  kind  of 
work,"  said  Mr.  Whitford.  "Many  a  time  I  have 
been  watching  for  smugglers  for  days  and  nights 
at  a  stretch,  and  it  was  very  wearying.  When  I 
got  through,  and  caught  my  man,  I  was  more 
tired  than  if  I  had  traveled  hundreds  of  miles. 
Just  sitting  around,  and  waiting  is  tiresome 
work." 

The  others  agreed  with  him,  and  then  the  cus- 
tom officer  told  many  stories  of  his  experiences, 
of  the  odd  places  smugglers  would  hit  upon  to 
conceal  the  contrabrand  goods,  and  of  fights  he 
had  taken  part  in. 

''Diamonds  and  jewels,  from  their  smallness, 
and  from  the  great  value,  and  the  high  duty  on 


160    TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

them  when  brought  into  the  United  States,  form 
the  chief  articles  of  the  high  class  smugglers,"  he 
said.  "In  fact  the  ones  we  are  after  have 
been  doing  more  in  diamonds  than  anything  else, 
,  though  they  have,  of  late,  brought  much  valuable 
hand-made  lace.  That  can  be  bought  compar- 
atively cheap  abroad,  and  if  they  can  evade  paying 
Uncle  Sam  the  duty  on  it,  they  can  sell  it  in  the 
United  States  at  a  large  profit. 

"But  the  government  has  received  so  many 
complaints  from  legitimate  dealers,  who  can  not 
stand  this  unfair  competition,  that  we  have  been 
ordered  to  get  the  smugglers  at  any  cost." 

"They  are  sharp  rascals,"  commented  Mr. 
Damon.  "They  seem  to  be  making  extra  efforts 
since  Tom  Swift  got  on  their  trail." 

"But,  just  the  same,  they  are  afraid  of  him, 
and  his  searchlight,"  declared  Mr.  Whitford.  "I 
guess  they  fancied  that  when  they  took  to  air- 
ships to  get  goods  across  the  border  that  they 
would  not  be  disturbed.  But  two  can  play  at  that 
game." 

The  talk  became  general,  with  pauses  now  and 
then  while  Tom  swept  the  sky  with  the  great 
searchlight,  the  others  straining  their  eyes  for  a 
sight  of  the  smugglers'  airships.  But  they  saw 
nothing. 

The  young  inventor  had  just  paid  a  visit  to  th$ 


THE  PURSUIT  i6l 

pilot  house,  to  see  that  his  wheels  and  guiding 
levers  were  all  right,  and  was  walking  back  to* 
ward  the  stern  of  the  ship,  when  he  heard  a  noise 
there,  and  the  fall  of  a  heavy  body. 

"Who's  that?"  he  cried  sharply.  "Is  that  you, 
Koku?" 

A  grunt  was  the  only  answer,  and,  as  Tom 
called  the  giant's  name  the  big  man  came  out. 

"What  you  want,  Mr.  Tom?"  he  asked. 

"I  thought  you  were  at  the  stern,"  spoke  Tom. 
"Someone  is  there.  Ned,  throw  the  light  on  the 
stern!"  he  called  sharply. 

In  a  moment  that  part  of  the  ship  was  in  a 
bright  glare  and  there,  in  the  rays  of  the  big 
lantern,  was  stretched  out  Big  Foot,  the  Indian, 
comfortably  sleeping. 

"Here!  What  are  you  doing?"  demanded  Mr. 
Whitford,  giving  him  a  vigorous  shake. 

"Me  sleep!"  murmured  Big  Foot.  "Lemme 
be!  Me  sleep,  and  take  ride  to  Happy  Hunting 
Grounds  in  air-bird.  Go  'way!" 

"You'll  have  to  sleep  somewhere  else,  Big 
Foot,"  spoke  the  agent  with  a  laugh.  "Koku, 
put  him  down  under  one  of  the  trees  over  there. 
He  can  finish  his  nap  in  the  open,  it's  warm." 

The  Indian  only  protested  sleepily,  as  the  giant 
carried  him  off  the  ship,  and  soon  Big  Foot  was 
snoring  under  the  trees. 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

"He's  a  queer  chap,"  the  custom  officer  said. 
w  Sometimes  I  think  he's  a  little  off  in  his  head. 
But  he's  good  natured." 

Once  more  they  resumed  their  watching.  It 
was  growing  more  and  more  wearisome,  and  Tom 
was  getting  sleepy,  in  spite  of  himself. 

Suddenly  the  silence  of  the  night  was  broken 
by  a  distant  humming  and  throbbing  sound. 

"Hark I"  cried  Ned. 

They  all  listened  intently. 

*  That's  an  airship,  sure  enough!"  cried  Tom. 

He  sprang  to  the  lever  that  moved  the  lantern, 
which  had  been  shut  off  temporarily.  An  instant 
later  a  beam  of  light  cut  the  darkness.  The  throb- 
bing sounded  nearer. 

"There  they  are!"  cried  Ned,  pointing  from  a 
window  toward  the  sky.  A  moment  later,  right 
into  the  glare  of  the  light,  there  shot  a  powerful 
biplane. 

"After  'em,  Tom!"  shouted  Mr.  Whitford. 

Like  a  bird  the  Falcon  shot  upward  in  pursuit 
noiselessly  and  resistlessly,  the  beam  of  the  great 
.searchlight  playing  on  the  other  craft,  whicli 
dodged  to  one  side  in  an  endeavor  to  escape. 

"On  the  trail  at  last!"  cried  Tom,  as  he  shoved 
over  the  accelerator  lever,  sending  his  airship  for- 
ward on  an  upward  slant,  right  at  the  stern  of  the 
smugglers'  biplane. 


CHAPTER   XIX 

IN  DIRE  PERIL 

UPWARD  shot  the  Falcon.  With  every  revolu- 
tion of  her  big  propellers  she  came  nearer  and 
nearer  to  the  fleeing  craft  of  the  supposed  smug-- 
glers  who  were  using  every  endeavor  to  escape. 

"Do  you  think  you  can  catch  them,  Tom?" 
asked  Mr.  Whitford  as  he  stood  at  the  side  of  our 
hero  in  the  pilot  house,  and  looked  upward  and 
forward  to  where,  bathed  in  the  light  of  the  great 
search-lantern,  the  rival  craft  was  beating  the  air. 

"I'm  sure  we  can — unless  something  happens." 

"Bless  my  overshoes!  What  can  happen?" 
asked  Mr.  Damon,  who,  after  finding  that  every- 
thing in  the  motor  room  was  running  smoothly, 
had  come  forward.  Ned  was  attending  to  the 
searchlight.  "What  can  happen,  Tom?" 

"Almost  anything,  from  a  broken  shaft  to  a 
short-circuited  motor.  Only,  I  hope  nothing  does 
occur  to  prevent  us  from  catching  them." 

"You  don't  mean  to  say  that  you're  actually 
going  to  try  to  catch  them,  do  you,  Tom?"  asked 

163 


£64  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

the  custom  officer.  "I  thought  if  we  could  trail 
them  to  the  place  where  they  have  been  delivering 
the  goods,  before  they  shipped  them  to  Shopton 
we'd  be  doing  well.  But  I  never  thought  of 
catching  them  in  mid-air." 

"I'm  going  to  try  it,"  declared  the  young  inven- 
tor. "I've  got  a  grappling  anchor  on  board," 
he  went  on,  "attached  to  a  motor  and  windlass.  If 
I  can  catch  that  anchor  in  any  part  of  their  ship  I 
can  bring  them  to  a  stop,  just  as  a  fisherman  lands 
a  trout.  Only  I've  got  to  get  close  enough  to 
make  a  cast,  and  I  want  to  be  above  them  when  I 
doit."  ' 

"Don't  you  think  you  can  catch  them,  Tom?'1 
asked  Mr.  Damon. 

"Well,  I'm  pretty  sure  I  can,  and  yet  they  seem 
to  have  a  faster  biplane  than  I  gave  them  credit 
for.  I  guess  I'll  have  to  increase  our  speed  a  lit- 
tle," and  he  shifted  a  lever  which  made  the  Fal- 
con shoot  along  at  nearly  doubled  speed. 

Still  the  other  airship  kept  ahead,  not  far,  but 
sufficiently  so  to  prevent  the  grappling  anchor 
from  being  tossed  at  her  rail. 

"I  wonder  if  they  are  the  smugglers?"  ques- 
tioned Mr.  Damon.  "It  might  be  possible,  Tom, 
that  we're  chasing  the  wrong  craft." 

"Possible,  but  not,  probable,"  put  in  Mr.  Whit- 
ford.  "After  the  clew  we  got,  and  what 


IN  DIRE  PERIL  165 

Indians  told  us,  and  then  to  have  a  biplane  come 
sailing  over  our  heads  at  night,  it's  pretty  sure 
to  be  the  one  we  want.  But,  Tom,  can't  you  close 
upon  'em?" 

"I'm  going  to  try.  The  machinery  is  warmed 
up  now,  and  I'll  send  it  to  the  limit." 

Once  more  he  adjusted  the  wheels  and  levers, 
and  at  his  touch  the  Falcon  seemed  to  gain  new 
strength.  She  fairly  soared  through  the  air. 

Eagerly  those  in  the  pilot  house  watched  the 
craft  they  were  pursuing.  She  could  be  seen,  in 
the  glare  of  the  big  searchlight,  like  some  bird  of 
gloom  and  evil  omen,  fluttering  along  ahead  of 
them. 

"They  certainly  have  a  fine  motor!"  cried  Tom. 
"I  was  sure  I  could  have  caught  up  to  them  before 
this." 

"How  do  you  account  for  it?"  asked  Mr. 
Damon. 

"Well,  they're  flying  a  good  deal  lighter  than 
we  are.  They  probably  have  no  load  to  speak  of, 
while  we  carry  a  heavy  one,  to  say  nothing  of 
Koku." 

"Diamonds  aren't  very  heavy,"  put  in  Mr. 
Whit  ford  grimly.  "I  think  they  are  smuggling 
diamonds  to-night.  How  I  wish  we  could  catch 
them,  or  trace  them  to  where  they  have  their 
headquarters." 


!66  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

"We'll  do  it!"  declared  Tom. 

"Bless  my  stars !  They've  gone !"  suddenly  ex- 
claimed Mr.  Damon.  "They've  disappeared, 
Tom,  I  can't  see  them." 

It  was  indeed  true.  Those  in  the  pilot  house 
peering  ahead  through  the  darkness,  could  not  get 
a  glimpse  of  the  airship  they  were  pursuing.  The 
beam  of  the  searchlight  showed  nothing  but  a 
black  void. 

All  at  once  the  beam  shifted  downward,  and 
then  it  picked  up  the  white-winged  craft. 

"They  went  down!"  cried  Tom.  "They  tried 
to  drop  out  of  sight." 

"Can't  you  get  them?"  asked  Mr.  Whitford. 

"Oh,  yes,  we  can  play  that  game  too.  I'll  do 
a  little  volplaning  myself,"  and  the  young  inven- 
tor shut  off  the  power  and  coasted  earthward, 
while  Ned,  who  had  picked  up  the  forward  craft, 
kept  the  searchlight  playing  on  her. 

And  now  began  a  wonderful  chase.  The 
smugglers'  craft,  for  such  she  proved  later  to  be, 
did  her  best  to  dodge  the  Falcon.  Those  man- 
aging the  mechanism  of  the  fleeing  airship  must 
been  experts,  to  hold  out  as  they  did  against 
Swift,  but  they  had  this  advantage,  that 
their  craft  was  much  lighter,  and  more  power- 
\  fully  engined  as  regards  her  weight.  Then,  too, 
\  there  were  not  so  many  on  board,  and  Tom,  Hay- 


IN  DIRE  PERIL  167 


oplane,  had  to  I 
•    i_  •  1    •    it  '^.iJ 


mg  a  combined  balloon  and  aeropl; 
carry  much  machinery. 

It  was  like  the  flight  of  two  big  birds  in  the" 
air.  Now  the  smugglers'  craft  would  be  mount- 
ing upward,  with  the  Falcon  after  her.  Again  she 
would  shoot  toward  the  earth,  and  Tom  would 
follow,  with  a  great  downward  swoop. 

Ned  kept  the  great  lantern  going,  and,  thougK 
occasionally  the  craft  they  were  after  slipped  out 
of  the  focus  of  the  beams,  the  young  bank  clerk 
Would  pick  her  up  again. 

To  the  right  and  left  dodged  the  forward  air- 
ship, vainly  endeavoring  to  shake  off  Tom  Swift, 
but  he  would  not  give  up.  He  followed  move 
for  move,  swoop  for  swoop. 

"She's  turning  around!"  suddenly  cried  Mr. 
Damon.  "She's  given  up  the  flight,  Tom,  and  is 
going  back!" 

"That's  so!"  agreed  Mr.  Whitford.  "They're 
headed  for  Canada,  Tom.  We've  got  to  catch 
'em  before  they  get  over  the  Dominion  line!" 

"I'll  do  it!"  cried  Tom,  between  his  clenched 
teeth. 

He  swung  his  airship  around  in  a  big  circle,  and 
took  after  the  fleeing  craft.  The  wind  was 
against  the  smugglers  now,  and  they  could  not 
make  such  good  speed,  while  to  Tom  the  wind 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 


mattered  not,  so  powerful  were  the  propellers  of 
t}xe  Falcon. 

"I  think  we're  gaining  on  them,"  murmured 
Mr.  Damon. 

Suddenly,  from  the  engine  room,  came  a  cry 
from  Ned. 

"Tom!  Tom!"  he  shouted.  "Something  is 
wrong  with  the  gas  machine !  She  registers  over 
five  hundred  pounds  pressure,  and  that's  too  much. 
It's  going  up,  and  I  haven't  touched  it!" 

"Mr.  Damon,  take  the  wheel!"  exclaimed  the 
young  inventor.  "I've  got  to  see  what's  wrong. 
Hold  her  right  on  their  trail." 

Tom  sprang  to  the  motor  room,  and  one  glance 
at  the  gas  generating  machine  showed  him  that 
they  were  in  dire  peril.  In  some  manner  the  pres- 
sure was  going  up  enormously,  and  if  it  went  up 
much  more  the  big  tank  would  blow  to  pieces. 

"What  is  it?"  cried  Ned,  from  his  position  near 
the  light. 

C"\  don't  know!     Something  wrong." 
I  "Are  you  going  to  give  up  the  chase?" 
TJ  am  not.    Stick  to  the  light.    Koku,  tell  Mr. 
Damon  to  hold  her  on  the  course  I  set.     I'll  try 
to  get  this  pressure  down!"    And  Tom  Swift  be- 
gan to  work  feverishly,  while  his  ship  rushed  on 
through  the  night  in  danger,  every  moment,  of 
being  blown  to  atoms.     Yet  the  young  inventor 
would  not  give  up,  and  descend  to  earth. 


CHAPTER  XX 

SUSPICIOUS  ACTIONS 

THE  chase  was  kept  up,  and  Tom,  when  he  had 
a  chance  to  look  up  at  the  speed  register,  as  he 
labored  frantically  at  the  clogged  gas  machine, 
saw  that  they  were  rushing  along  as  they  never 
had  before. 

"Are  we  catching  them,  Ned?"  he  cried  to  his 
chum,  who  was  not  far  away,  playing  the  power- 
ful light  on  the  smugglers'  craft. 

"I  think  we're  coming  nearer,  but  it's  going  to 
be  a  long  chase.  I  don't  see  why  we  can't  close 
up  on  'em." 

"Because  they've  got  a  very  fast  ship,  Ned,  and 
they  are  flying  much  lighter  than  we  are.  But 
we'll  get  'em!" 

"How  are  you  making  out  with  that  gas  ma- 
chine?" 

"Well,  I'm  doing  all  I  can,  but  I  can't  seem  to 
get  the  pressure  down.  I  can't  understand  it 
Some  of  the  pipes  must  be  clogged  with  a 

169 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 


deposit.  I  ought  to  have  cleaned  them  out  some 
time  ago." 

Ned  gave  a  hasty  glance  at  the  gage  which 
showed  the  gas  pressure.  It  registered  six  hun- 
dred pounds  now,  having  risen  a  hundred  in  a 
short  time. 

"And  she'll  go  up,  sure,  at  eight  hundred," 
murmured  Ned,  as  he  held  the  light  steadily  on 
the  smugglers'  aircraft.  "Well,  if  Tom  sticks  to 
the  chase,  I  will  too,  but  I  think  it  would  be  bet-* 
ter  to  go  down,  open  up  everything,  and  let  the 
gas  escape.  We  could  get  the  rascals  later." 

Tom,  however,  did  not  seem  to  think  so,  for  ha 
kept  on  with  his  task,  working  away  at  the  pipes, 
trying  to  force  the  obstruction  out,  to  that  the  gas 
from  the  generator  would  flow  into  the  bag.  At 
the  same  time  he  tried  to  shut  off  the  generating 
apparatus,  but  that  had  become  jammed  in  conse-* 
quence  of  the  pipe  clogging,  and  the  powerful 
vapor  continued  to  manufacture  itself  automatic- 
ally in  spite  of  all  that  Tom  could  do. 

The  only  safe  way  out  of  the  danger,  unless  he 
could  remove  the  obstruction,  was  to  descend  to 
earth,  and,  as  Ned  had  said,  open  every  outlet. 
But  to  have  done  that  in  mid-air  would  have  been 
dangerous,  as  the  large  volume  of  gas,  suddenly 
liberated,  would  have  hung  about  the  airship  in  a 
cloud,  smothering  all  on  board.  If  they  were  on 


SUSPICIOUS  ACTIONS  171 

the  earth  they  could  run  away  from  it,  and  re- 
main away  until  the  vapor  had  blown  off. 

"Is  Mr.  Damon  keeping  her  on  the  course, 
Ned?"  asked  Tom,  pausing  a  moment  to  get  his 
breath  after  a  series  of  frantic  efforts. 

"Yes,  and  I  think  we're  closing  in  on  them  a 
little." 

"That's  good.  Are  they  still  headed  for  the 
border?" 

"Yes,  I  guess  they're  going  to  take  no  chances 
to-night.  They're  going  right  back  to  Canada 
where  they  came  from." 

"Well,  we'll  be  hot  after  'em.  Whistle  through 
the  tube,  and  tell  Koku  to  come  here  and  give  me  a 
hand.  He's  with  Mr.  Damon  in  the  pilot  house." 

Ned  sent  the  message,  and  then  gave  his  whole 
attention  to  the  light.  This  was  necessary,  as  the 
smugglers  were  resorting  to  dodging  tactics,  in 
an  endeavor  to  escape.  Now  they  would  shoot 
upward,  and  again  toward  the  earth,  varying  the 
performance  by  steering  to  the  right  or  left.  Ned 
had  constantly  to  shift  the  light  to  keep  them  in 
focus,  so  that  Mr.  Damon  could  see  where  to  steer, 
but,  with  all  this  handicap,  the  eccentric  man  did 
very  well,  and  he  was  never  far  out  in  his  judg- 
ment 

"By  Jove!"  suddenly  murmured  Tom,  as  he 
tried  once  more  in  vain  to  open  a  clogged  valve. 


172 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT! 


"I'm  afraid  we  can't  do  it.  Koku,  lend  a  hand 
here!"  he  exclaimed  as  the  giant  entered.  "See  if 
you  can  twist  this  wrench  around,  but  don't  brealc 
off  the  handle,  whatever  you  do." 

"Me  shove,"  replied  the  giant  simply,  as  he 
grasped  the  big  wrench. 

Once  more  Ned  glanced  at  the  pressure  gage. 
It  showed  seven  hundred  pounds  now,  and  there 
was  only  a  margin  of  safety  of  one  hundred 
pounds  more,  ere  a  terriffic  explosion  would  occur. 
Still  Tom  had  not  given  the  order  to  descend  to 
earth. 

"Are  you  going  to  make  it,  Tom?"  asked  the 
government  agent,  anxiously,  as  he  stood  over 
the  young  inventor. 

"I — I  think  so,"  panted  Tom.  "Are  we  near 
the  Dominion  line," 

"Pretty  close,"  was  the  discouraging  answer. 
"I'm  afraid  we  can't  get  'em  before  they  cross. 
Can  you  use  any  more  speed?"  , 

"I  don't  know.  Ned,  see  if  you  can  get  another 
notch  out  of  her." 

With  one  hand  Ned  reached  for  the  accelera- 
tor lever  on  the  wall  near  him,  and  pulled  it  to  the 
last  notch.  The  Falcon  shot  ahead  with  increased 
speed,  but,  at  the  same  instant  there  came  a  gasp 
from  Koku,  and  the  sound  of  something  break- 
ing. 


SUSPICIOUS  ACTIONS  173 

"There!  He's  done  it!"  cried  Tom  in  despair. 
"I  was  afraid  you'd  be  too  strong  for  that  wrench, 
Koku.  You've  broken  off  the  handle.  Now 
we'll  never  be  able  to  loosen  that  valve." 

Ned  gave  one  more  glance  at  the  pressure  gage. 
It  showed  seven  hundred  and  fifty  pounds,  and 
the  needle  was  slowly  moving  onward. 

"Hadn't  we  better  descend,"  asked  Mr.  Whit- 
ford  in  a  low  voice. 

"I — I  guess  so,"  answered  Tom,  despairingly. 
"Where  are  we?" 

Ned  flashed  the  light  downward  for  an  instant. 

Just  crossing  over  the  St.  Regis  Indian  reser- 
vation again,"  he  replied.  "We'll  be  in  Canada  in 
a  few  minutes  more. " 

"Where  are  the  smugglers?" 

"Still  ahead,  and  they're  bearing  off  to  the 
right." 

"Going  toward  Mont  ford,"  commented  the 
government  man.  We've  lost  'em  for  to-night, 
anyhow,  but  they  didn't  get  their  goods  landed, 
at  any  rate." 

"Send  her  down,  Ned!"  exclaimed  Tom,  and  it 
was  high  time,  for  the  pressure  was  now  within 
twenty-five  pounds  of  the  exploding  point. 

Down  shot  the  Falcon,  while  her  rival  passed 
onward  triumphantly  in  the  darkness.  Ned  held 
the  light  on  the  smugglers  as  long  as  he  dared,  and 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT. 

then  he  flashed  it  to  earth  to  enable  Mr.  Damon 
to  pick  out  a  good  landing  place. 

In  a  few  moments  Tom's  silent  airship  came  to 
rest  on  a  little  clearing  in  the  forest,  and  Tom, 
with  Ned's  help,  at  once  opened  every  outlet  of 
the  gas  machine,  a  thing  they  had  not  dared  do 
while  up  in  the  air. 

"Come  on,  now,  run, 'everybody!"  cried  Tom. 
"Otherwise  you'll  be  smothered!" 

They  leaped  from  the  craft,  about  which  gath- 
ered the  fumes  of  the  powerful  gas,  as  it  hissed 
from  the  pipes.  Running  a  hundred  yards  away 
they  were  safe,  and  could  return  in  a  few  minutes. 

"We're  in  Canada,"  remarked  Mr.  Whitford, 
as  they  came  to  a  halt,  watching  the  airship. 

"How  do  you  know?"  asked  Ned. 

*As  we  landed  I  saw  one  of  the  stone  boundary 
posts,"  was  the  answer.  "We're  on  English  ter- 
ritory, and  we  can't  touch  the  smugglers  if  we 
should  see  them  now." 

"Well,  we'll  soon  be  back  in  Uncle  Sam's 
land,  declared  Tom.  "We  can  go  back  on  board 
the  Falcon  to  sleep  shortly.  Jove!  I  wish  I 
could  have  caught  those  fellows!" 

"Never  mind,  we'll  get  'em  yet,"  consoled  Mr. 
iWhitford. 

Waiting  until  he  was  sure  all  the  vapor  had  disv 
appeared,  Tom  led  the  way  back  to  the  Falcon. 


SUSPICIOUS  ACTIONS 

No  great  harm  had  been  done,  save  to  lose  con- 
siderable gas,  and  this  could  be  remedied.  Tired 
and  disappointed  from  the  chase,  they  sought  theifl 
bunks,  and  were  soon  asleep.  In  the  morning  Tom 
and  Ned  began  work  on  the  clogged  pipes. 

This  work  was  nearly  accomplished  by  noon, 
when  Mr.  Damon,  coming  back  from  a  stroll,  an- 
nounced that  they  were  but  fifteen  minutes  walk 
from  the  St.  Lawrence  River,  as  he  had  seen  th^ 
sparkling  waters  from  a  neighboring  hill. 

"Let's  go  over  and  have  a  look  at  it,"  pro- 
posed Ned.  "We  can  easily  finish  this  when  we 
get  back.  Besides,  Tom,  we  don't  want  to  get  to 
our  regular  camp  until  after  dark,  anyhow." 

The  young  inventor  was  willing,  and  the  two 
lads,  with  Mr.  Whitford,  strolled  toward  the  his- 
toric stream.  As  they  drew  near  the  bank,  they 
saw,  anchored  a  little  distance  out,  a  small  steam- 
er. Approaching  it,  as  if  she  had  just  left  the 
shore  at  a  point  near  where  our  friends  stood,  was 
a  gasolene  launch,  containing  several  men,  while 
on  shore,  in  front  of  a  small  shanty,  stood  another 
man. 

This  latter  individual,  at  the  sight  of  Tom,  Ned 
and  Mr.  Whitford,  blew  a  shrill  whistle.  Those 
in  the  launch  looked  back.  The  man  on  shore 
waved  a  red  flag  in  a  peculiar  way,  almost  as  the 
soldiers  in  the  army  wig-wag  signals. 


176  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

In  another  moment  the  launch  turned  about, 
and  put  for  shore,  while  the  lone  man  hurried  back 
into  the  hut. 

"Hum !"  remarked  Tom.  " Those  are  queer  ac- 
tions." 

"Suspicious  actions,  I  should  say,"  said  Mr. 
Whitford.  "I'm  going  to  see  what  this  means," 


CHAPTER   XXI 

MR.    PERIOD   ARRIVES 

GREATLY  interested  in  what  was  about  to  take 
place,  and  not  a  little  suspicious,  our  friends  stood 
on  the  bank  of  the  river  and  watched  the  motor 
boat  returning.  As  it  reached  a  little  dock  in  front 
of  the  hut,  the  man  who  had  waved  the  red  flag 
of  warning  came  out,  and  talked  rapidly  to  those 
in  the  power  craft.  At  the  same  time  he  pointed 
occasionally  to  Tom,  Ned  and  the  government 
agent. 

"This  is  getting  interesting,"  remarked  Mr. 
Whit  ford.  "We  may  have  accidentally  stumbled 
on  something  important  Tom." 

"See,  they're  signalling  to  the  steamer  now," 
spoke  Ned,  and,  as  he  said  this,  his  companions 
looked,  and  noted  the  man  from  the  hut  waving 
a  white  flag,  in  a  peculiar  manner.  His  signals 
were  answered  by  those  on  the  vessel  anchored 
out  in  the  stream,  and,  a  little  later,  black  smoke 
could  be  seen  pouring  from  her  funnel. 

177 


J78  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

"Looks  as  if  they  were  getting  ready  to  leave," 
spoke  Tom. 

"Yes,  we  seem  to  have  started  things  moving 
around  here,"  observed  Ned. 
,    "Or  else  we  have  prevented  them  from  mov- 
ing," remarked  the  custom  agent. 

"What  do  you  mean?"  Tom  wanted  to  know. 

"I  mean  that  those  men  were  evidently  going  to 
do  something  just  as  we  arrived,  and  spoiled  their 
plans.  I  would  say  they  were  going  to  land  goods 
from  that  schooner.  Now  they  are  not." 

"What  kind  of  goods?"  asked  Ned. 

"Well,  of  course  I'm  not  sure,  but  I  should  say 
smuggled  goods." 

"The  smugglers!"  cried  Tom.  "Why,  they 
can't  be  smugglers,  for  we  are  on  Canadian  terri- 
tory. The  river  isn't  the  dividing  line  between 
the  Dominion  and  the  United  States  at  this  point. 
The  St.  Lawrence  lies  wholly  in  Canada  here,  and 
the  men  have  a  right  to  land  any  goods  they  want 
to,  dutiable  or  not." 

"That's  just  it,"  put  in  Mr.  Whitford.  "They 
have  the  right,  but  they  are  afraid  to  exercise  it, 
and  that's  what  makes  me  suspicious.  If  they 
were  doing  a  straight  business  they  wouldn't  be 
afraid,  no  matter  who  saw  them.  They  evidently, 
recognize  us,  by  description,  if  by  no  other  means, 
and  they  know  we  are  after  smugglers.  That's 


MR.  PERIOD  ARRIVES 


179 


why  they  stopped  the  bringing  of  goods  from  that 
vessel  to  shore.  They  want  to  wait  until  we  are 
gone." 

"But  we  couldn't  stop  them  from  landing  goods, 
even  if  they  know  we  are  working  for  Uncle 
Sam,"  declared  Tom. 

"That's  very  true,  but  it  is  evidently  their  in- 
tention, not  only  to  land  goods  here,  which  they 
have  a  perfect  right  to  do,  but  to  send  them  into 
the  United  States,  which  they  have  not  a  right 
to  do  without  paying  the  duty." 

"Then  you  really  think  they  are  the  smug- 
glers?" asked  Ned. 

"I'm  pretty  sure  of  it.  I  think  we  have  stum- 
bled on  one  of  the  places  where  the  goods  are 
landed,  and  where  they  are  loaded  into  the  air- 
ships. This  is  the  best  luck  we  could  have,  and  it 
more  than  makes  up  for  not  catching  the  rascals 
last  night.  Now  we  know  where  to  get  on  their 
trail." 

"If  they  don't  change  the  place,"  observed  Torn, 

"Oh,  of  course,  we've  got  to  take  that  chance." 

"Here's  one  of  them  coming  over  to  speak  to 
us,  I  guess,"  remarked  Tom  in  a  low  voice,  as  he 
observed  the  man,  who  had  waved  the  flag  ap- 
proaching. There  was  no  doubt  of  his  intention 
for,  as  soon  as  he  came  within  talking  distance, 
the  stranger  called  out : 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT. 

"What  are  you  fellows  doing  here?" 

"Looking  at  the  river,"  replied  Mr.  Whitford, 
calmly. 

"Well,  you'd  better  find  some  other  place  for  a 
view.  This  is  private  property,  and  we  don't  like 
trespassers.  Get  a  move  on — get  out!" 

"Are  we  doing  any  harm?"  asked  the  agent 

"I  didn't  say  you  were.  This  is  our  land,  and 
we  don't  like  strangers  snooping  around.  That's 
all." 

"Particularly  when  you  are  going  to  land  some 
goods." 

"What  do  you  mean?'*  gasped  the  man. 

"I  guess  you  know  well  enough,"  was  Mr. 
Whitford's  reply. 

The  man  suddenly  turned,  and  gave  a  shrill 
whistle.  Instantly,  from  the  hut,  came  several 
men  who  had  been  in  the  motor  boat.  One  or  two 
of  them  had  weapons. 

—  "I  guess  you'd  better  go  now,"  said  the  first 
man  sharply.  "You're  not  in  the  United  States 
now,  you  know." 

"It's  easy  to  see  that,  by  the  politeness  of  the 
residents  of  this  section,"  put  in  Tom. 

"None  of  your  back  talk!     Get  away  from 
here!"  cried  the  man.    "If  you  don't  go  peace- 
ably  " 

>  "Oh,  we're  going,"  interposed  Mr.  Whitford 


MR.  PERIOD  ARRIVES  i8l 

calmly.  "But  that  isn't  saying  we  won't  come 
back.  Come  on,  boys.  We'll  get  over  on  Uncle 
Sam's  territory." 

The  group  of  men  stood  silently  watching  them, 
as  they  filed  back  through  the  woods. 

"What  do  you  make  of  it?"  asked  Tom  of  the 
agent. 

"I'm  positive  that  I'm  (right,  and  that  they're 
the  smugglers.  But  I  can't  do  anything  on  this 
side  of  the  line.  If  ever  I  can  catch  them  across 
the  border,  though,  there'll  be  a  different  story; 
to  tell" 

"What  had  we  better  do?"  inquired  Ned. 

*Go  back  to  our  airship,  and  leave  for  Logans- 
ville.  We  don't  need  to  land  until  night,  though, 
but  we  can  make  a  slow  trip.  Is  the  gas  machine 
all  right  again,  Tom?" 

"Practically  so.  If  that  hadn't  gone  back  on  me 
we  would  have  had  those  fellows  captured  by  this 
time." 

"Never  mind.     We  did  our  best." 

It  did  not  take  Tom  and  his  chum  long  to  com- 
plete the  repairs,  and  soon  they  arose  in  the  air. 

"Let's  take  a  flight  over  where  those  fellows 
are,  just  to  show  them  what  we  can  do,"  proposed 
Ned,  and  Tom  and  Mr.  Whitford  agreed  to  it 
Soon  they  were  circling  over  the  hut.  The  launch 
was  just  starting  out  again,  when  a  cry  from  the 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

man  who  seemed  to  be  a  sort  of  guard,  drew  the 
attention  of  his  confederates  to  the  noiseless  air- 
ship. 

Once  more  the  launch  was  turned  about,  and 
sent  back  to  shore,  while  those  in  it  shook  their 
fists  at  Tom  and  his  friends. 

"We  can  play  tag  with  'em  up  here!"  chuckled 
Ned. 

"There's  the  small  vessel  that  pulled  up  anchor 
a  while  ago,"  remarked  Mr.  Whitford,  pointing 
to  the  vessel  which  had  steamed  around  a  wooded 
point.  "They  thought  we  had  gone  for  good,  and 
they  were  getting  ready  to  land  the  stuff.  Well, 
we'll  know  where  to  head  for  next  time,  when  we 
watch  for  the  smugglers  at  night." 

Realizing  that  nothing  more  could  be  done, 
Tom  sent  his  airship  toward  the  camp,  just  out- 
side of  Logansville.  But  he  did  not  land  until 
after  dark,  when,  making  out  the  spot  by  means 
of  the  electric  lights,  which  were  set  aglow  auto- 
matically at  dark,  he  descended. 

"We  won't  try  anything  to-night,"  said  Mr. 
Whitford.  "I  doubt  if  the  smugglers  will  them- 
selves, after  their  experience  last  night  I'll  get 
into  town,  see  some  of  my  men,  and  come  out 
here  to-morrow  night  again." 

Tom  and  Ned  spent  the  following  day  in  going 
carefully  over  the  Falcon,  making  some  slight 


MR.  PERIOD  ARRIVES  783 

repairs.  The  great  searchlight  was  cleaned  and 
adjusted,  and  then,  as  dusk  came  on  once  more 
Tom  remarked: 

"Well,  we're  ready  for  'em  any  time  Mr. 
iWhitford  is." 

Hardly  had  he  spoken  than  the  tramp  of  horses' 
feet  was  heard  coming  along  the  bridle  path 
through  the  woods,  and  a  voice  was  heard  to  ex- 
claim : 

"There,  now,  I  understand  it  perfectly!  You 
'don't  need  to  say  another  word.  I  know  it  may 
be  against  the  regulations,  but  I  can  fix  that.  I'm 
the  busiest  man  in  the  world,  but  I  just  had  to 
come  up  here  and  see  Tom  Swift  It's  costing  me 
a  thousand  dollars,  but  the  money  is  well  spent. 
Now  don't  interrupt  me!  I  know  what  you're 
going  to  say!  That  you  haven't  time  to  bother 
with  moving  pictures.  But  you  have!  I  must 
have  some  moving  pictures  of  your  chase  after 
the  smugglers.  Now,  don't  speak  to  me,  I  know 
all  about  it.  You  can't  tell  me  anything.  I'll  tallc 
to  Tom.  Are  we  most  there?" 

"Yes,  we're  here,"  answered  Mr.  Whitford's 
voice,  and  Tom  fancied  the  government  agent  was 
a  bit  puzzled  by  his  strange  companion. 

"Bless  my  shoe  string!"  gasped  Mr.  Damon. 

"Him  picture  man!"  cried  Koku. 

*Mr.   Period!"  exclaimed  Tom.     "I  wonder 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 


what  he  is  doing  here?"  and  the  next  moment  the 
excitable  little  man,  for  whom  Tom  had  run  so 
many  risks  getting  marvelous  moving  pictures, 
with  the  wizard  camera,  entered  the  clearing 
where  the  airship  was  anchored. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

HOVERING  O'ER  THE  BORDER 

,  Tom,  you  see  I  couldn't  get  along  with- 
out you,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Period,  as  he  rushed, 
forward  and  grasped  Tom's  hand,  having  alighted 
in  rather  an  undignified  manner  from  the  horse 
that  he  had  ridden.  "I'm  after  you  again." 

"So  I  see,"  remarked  our  hero.  "But  I'm  afraid 
I  can't " 

"Tut!  Tut!  Don't  say  that,"  interrupted  the 
moving  picture  man.  "I  know  what  you're  go- 
ing to  say.  Don't  do  it !  Don't  go  back  on  me, 
[Tom!  Have  you  the  wonderful  moving  picture 
camera  with  you." 

"I  have,  Mr.  Period,  but " 

"Now!  Now!  That'll  do,"  broke  in  the  ex- 
citable little  man.  "If  you  have  it,  that's  enough. 
I  want  you  to  get  me  some  films,  showing  you  in 
chase  of  the  smugglers.  They'll  be  great  to  ex- 
hibit in  our  chain  of  theatres." 

"How  did  you  know  I  was  here?"  asked  Tom. 

"Easily  enough.  I  called  at  your  house.  Your 
185 


jg6  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

father  told  me  where  you  were.  I  came  on.  It 
cost  me  a  thousand  dollars — maybe  more.  I  don'fl 
care!  I've  got  to  have  those  films!  You'll  get* 
them  for  me;  won't  you?" 

"Well,  I " 

"That's  enough!  I  know  what  you're  going  td 
say.  Of  course  you  will !  Now  how  soon  may  I 
expect  them.  They  ought  to  make  a  good  run, 
Say  in  a  week?" 

"It  all  depends  on  the  smugglers,"  said  Miv 
Whitford. 

"Yes,  yes!  I  understand,  of  course.  I  know! 
This  friend  of  yours  has  been  very  kind  to  me, 
Tom.  I  looked  him  up  as  soon  as  I  got  to  Logans* 
ville,  and  told  him  what  I  wanted.  He  offered  to 
show  me  the  way  out  here,  and  here  I  am.  Let's 
have  a  look  at  the  camera,  to  see  if  it's  in  good 
shape.  Are  you  going  to  have  a  try  for  the  smu£* 
glers  to-night?" 

"I  think  so,"  answered  Tom.  "As  for  the 
camera,  really  I've  been  so  busy  I  haven't  had  time* 
to  look  at  it  since  we  started.  I  guess  it's  all 
right.  I  don't  know  what  made  me  bring  it  along, 
as  I  didn't  expect  to  use  it." 

"But  with  your  great  searchlight  it  will  be  jusf 
the  thing,"  suggested  Ned. 

"Yes,  I  think  so,"  added  Mr.  Whitford,  who 
Had  been  told  about  the  wizard  instrument. 


HOVERING  O'ER  THE  BORDER  187 

"Bless  my  detective  badge!"  cried  Mr.  Damon. 
"It  may  be  just  the  thing,  Tom.  You  can  offer 
moving  pictures  of  the  smugglers  in  court,  for 
evidence. " 

"Of  course!"  added  Mr.  Period.  "Now,  Tom, 
don't  disappoint  me." 

"Well,  I  suppose  I'll  have  to  get  the  camera 
out,  and  set  it  up,"  conceded  Tom  with  a  laugh. 
"As  you  say,  Mr.  Damon,  the  pictures  may  come 
in  valuable.  Come,  Ned,  you  get  out  the  camera, 
and  set  it  up,  while  Koku  and  I  see  to  getting  the 
ship  in  shape  for  a  flight.  You'll  come  along,  Mr. 
Period?" 

"I  don't  know.  I  was  thinking  of  going  back. 
I'm  losing  about  a  hundred  dollars  a  minute  by 
being  away  from  my  business." 

"You'll  have  to  go  back  alone,"  said  Mr.  Whit- 
iford,  "as  I  have  to  be  with  Tom,  in  case  of  a 
capture." 

"Ride  back  alone,  through  those  woods?  Never! 
The  smugglers  might  catch  me,  and  I'm  too  val- 
uable a  man  to  go  that  way!  I'll  take  a  chance 
in  the  airship." 

Ned  busied  himself  over  the  wizard  camera, 
which  had  been  stored  away,  and  Mr.  Period  went 
with  the  young  bank  clerk  to  look  after  the  ap- 
paratus. Meanwhile  Tom  and  Koku  saw  to  it 
that  the  Falcon  was  ready  for  a  quick  flight,  Mr. 


3g8  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

Damon  and  Mr.  Whitford  lending  whatever  aid 
was  necessary.  The  horses,  which  the  agent  and 
Mr.  Period  had  ridden,  were  tethered  in  the  clear* 
ing  where  they  could  get  food  and  water. 

"Did  the  smugglers  rush  anything  over  last 
night?"  asked  Tom. 

"No,  we  evidently  had  them  frightened.  But 
I  shouldn't  be  surprised  but  what  they  made  the 
attempt  to-night.  We'll  go  back  toward  the  St 
Regis  Indian  reservation,  where  they  were  getting 
ready  to  unload  that  steamer,  and  hover  around 
the  border  there.  Something  is  sure  to  happen, 
sooner  or  later." 

"I  guess  that's  as  good  a  plan  as  any,"  agreed 
Tom,  and  in  a  little  while  they  started. 

All  that  night  they  hovered  over  the  border, 
sailing  back  and  forth,  flashing  the  great  light 
at  intervals  to  pick  up  the  white  wings  of  a  smug- 
gling airship.  But  they  saw  nothing. 

Mr.  Period  was  in  despair,  as  he  fully  counted 
on  a  capture  being  made  while  he  was  present,  so 
that  he  might  see  the  moving  pictures  made.  But 
it  was  not  to  be. 

The  wizard  camera  was  all  in  readiness,  but 
there  was  no  need  to  start  the  automatic  machin- 
ery. For,  search  as  Tom  and  his  friends  did  for 
a  trace  of  the  smugglers,  they  could  see  nothing. 
They  put  on  full  speed,  and  even  went  as  far  as 


HOVERING  O'ER  THE  BORDER  jgg 

the  limits  of  the  Indian  reservation,  but  to  no  pur- 
pose. They  heard  no  throbbing  motor,  no  whizz 
of  great  propellers,  and  saw  no  white,  canvas 
wings  against  the  dark  background  of  the  sky,  as 
Tom's  craft  made  her  way  noiselessly  along. 

"I  guess  we've  frightened  them  away,"  said 
Mr.  Whitford  dubiously,  as  it  came  near  morn- 
ing, and  nothing  suspicious  had  been  seen  or 
heard.  They're  holding  back  their  goods,  Tom 
until  they  think  they  can  take  us  unawares.  Then 
they'll  rush  a  big  shipment  over." 

"Then's  the  time  we  must  catch  them,"  de- 
clared the  young  inventor.  "We  may  as  well  go 
back  now." 

"And  not  a  picture!"  exclaimed  Mr.  Period 
tragically.  "Well,  be  sure  to  get  good  ones  when 
you  do  make  a  capture,  Tom." 

"I  will,"  promised  the  young  inventor.  Then, 
with  a  last  sweep  along  the  border  he  turned  the 
nose  of  his  craft  toward  Logansville.  He  had 
almost  reached  the  place,  and  was  flying  rather 
low  over  the  country  roads,  when  Ned  called : 

"Hark!    I  hear  something!" 

The  unmistakable  noise  of  a  gasolene  motor  in 
operation  could  be  distinguished. 

"There  they  are!"  cried  Mr.  Period. 

"Bless  my  honeysuckle  vine!"  gasped  Mr. 
Damon. 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT^ 

"The  light,  Ned,  the  light!"  cried  Tom. 

His  chum  flashed  the  powerful  beam  all  around 
the  horizon,  and  toward  the  sky,  but  nothing  was 
visible. 

"Try  down  below,"  suggested  Mr.  Whitford. 

Ned  sent  the  beams  earthward.  And  there,  in 
the  glare,  they  saw  a  youth  speeding  along  on  a 
motor-cycle.  In  an  instant  Tom  grabbed  up 
binoculars  and  focussed  them  on  the  rider. 

"It's  Andy  Foger!"  he  cried. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

NED  IS  MISSING 

THERE  was  a  period  of  silence,  following 
Tom's  startling  announcement.  There  were  sev- 
eral plate  glass  windows  in  the  floor  of  the  airship, 
and  through  these  they  all  gazed  at  the  youth  on 
the  motor-cycle.  Only  Tom,  however,  by  the  aid 
of  the  glasses,  was  able  to  make  out  his  features. 

"Bless  my  spark  plug!  Andy  Foger!"  cried 
Mr.  Damon.  "Are  you  going  to  try  to  catch 
him?" 

"Get  him  and  break  chug-chug  machine!"  sug- 
gested Koku. 

"What  do  you  suppose  he's  up  to,  Tom?"  asked 
Ned. 

"Andy  Foger  speeding  along  at  this  hour  of  the 
morning,"  remarked  Mr.  Whitford.  "There  must 
be  something  in  the  wind." 

"Get  a  moving  picture  of  him,"  urged  Mr.  Pe- 
riod. "I  might  be  able  to  use  that." 

"I  hardly  think  it  would  be  worth  while,"  de- 
cided Tom.  "You  see  Andy  hasn't  done  any- 

* 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT] 

thing  criminal,  as  far  as  we  know.  Of  course  I 
think  he  is  capable  of  it,  but  that's  a  different 
thing.  He  may  be  out  only  on  a  pleasure  jaunt, 
and  he  could  stop  us  from  showing  the  pictures,  if 
we  took  them." 

"That's  so,"  agreed  Mr.  Period.  "Don't  run 
any  risks  of  a  lawsuit.  It  takes  up  too  much  of 
my  time.  Never  mind  the  pictures." 

"Just  capture  him,  Tom,  and  see  what  he  is 
'doing,"  suggested  Mr.  Damon.  "Bless  my  chew- 
ing gum!  But  he  must  be  up  to  something." 

"Well,  he's  aware  of  the  fact  that  we're  watch- 
ing him,  at  all  events!"  exclaimed  Mr.  Whitford, 
for,  at  that  moment,  Andy,  having  seen  the  glare 
of  the  light,  glanced  up.  They  could  see  him  look- 
inging  at  him,  and,  a  second  later,  the  Shopton 
bully  steered  his  machine  down  a  side  road  where 
the  overhanging  trees  were  so  thick  that  he  could 
not  be  made  out,  even  by  the  powerful  gleams  of 
the  great  searchlight. 
I  "He's  gone!"  gasped  Ned. 

"Afraid  I  guess,"  added  Mr.  Damon.  "That 
shows  he  was  up  to  something  wrong.  Well,  what 
are  we  going  to  do?" 

"Nothing,  that  I  can  see,"  spoke  Mr.  Whit- 
ford.  "We  can  only  go  back  to  our  camping 
place,  and  make  another  try.  This  Andy  Foger 
may,  or  may  not,  be  in  with  the  smugglers.  That's 


NED  IS  MISSING 


something  we  have  yet  to  prove.     However,  we 
can't  do  anything  now." 

In  vain  did  Ned  try  to  get  the  bully  within 
range  of  the  light.  They  could  hear  the  sounds  * 
of  the  motor  cycle  growing  more  and  more  faint, 
and  then,  as  it  was  rapidly  getting  light,  and  as 
they  did  not  want  to  be  seen  dropping  into  their 
camping  place,  they  made  all  haste  toward  it,  be- 
fore dawn  should  break. 

"Well,  I  can't  spend  any  more  time  here,"  de- 
clared Mr.  Period,  when  a  hasty  breakfast  had 
been  served. 

"Will  you  ride  back  with  me?"  asked  Mr. 
Whitford  of  the  moving  picture  man. 

"Will  I  ?  Well,  I  guess  I  will  !  You  can't  lose 
me  !  I'm  not  going  to  be  captured  by  those  smug- 
glers. I'd  be  a  valuable  man  for  them  to  have  as 
a  hostage.  They'd  probably  ask  a  million  dollars 
ransom  for  me,"  and  Mr.  Period  carefully 
straightened  his  brilliant  red  necktie. 

Soon  he  and  Mr.  Whitford  were  riding  back 
to  town,  taking  a  roundabout  way,  as  the  agent 
always  did,  to  throw  any  possible  spies  off  the 
track. 

Everyone,  even  including  the  giant  Koku  was 
tired  enough  to  take  a  sleep  after  dinner.  It  was 
about  three  o'clock  when  Ned  awoke,  and  h$ 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

'found  Tom  already  up,  and  at  the  wireless  instru- 
ment, which  was  clicking  and  buzzing. 

"Message  coming?"  asked  the  young  bank 
clerk. 

Tom  nodded,  and  clasped  the  receiver  over  his 
ear.  A  moment  later  he  began  jotting  down  a 
message. 

"Mr.  Whitford  says  he  has  a  tip  that  something 
is  going  to  take  place  to-night,"  read  the  young 
inventor  a  few  minutes  later.  "The  smugglers 
have  accumulated  a  big  store  of  goods,  and  they 
are  anxious  to  get  them  over  the  border.  There 
are  silks,  laces,  diamonds,  and  other  things  on 
which  there  is  a  high  duty,  or  tax  for  bringing 
into  the  United  States.  He  will  be  here  early, 
and  we  must  be  ready  for  a  start  at  once." 

"All  right.  I  guess  we  are  ready  now.  Say, 
I'm  going  over  to  that  little  brook,  and  see  if  I 
can  catch  a  few  trout  for  supper." 

"All  right.  Good  idea.  Don't  be  gone  too 
long." 

"I  won't.  Say,  where  is  my  coat,  anyhow?  I 
never  can  seem  to  keep  track  of  that,  or  my  cap 
either." 

"Never  mind.  Wear  mine,  and  you  won't  be 
delayed  looking  for  them,"  so  Ned  donned  Tom's 
garment  and  headpiece,  and  set  out. 


NED  IS  MISSING 


195 


Three  hours  passed,  and  Mr.  Damon  prepare8 
to  get  supper. 

"I  wonder  why  Ned  doesn't  come  back  with 
the  fish?"  he  said.  "It's  time,  if  we're  going  to 
cook  them  to-night." 

\  "That's  right,  he  ought  to  be  here,"  agreed 
Tom.  "Koku  take  a  walk  over  to  the  trout  brook, 
and  tell  Mr.  Ned  to  come  here,  whether  he  has 
any  fish  or  not."  , 

"Sure,  me  go,  Mr.  Tom!" 

Koku  was  gone  perhaps  five  minutes,  and  when 
he  came  back  he  was  much  excited. 

"Mr.  Ned  he  no  there!"  the  giant  cried.  "But 
fish  pole  all  broken,  and  ground  all  full  of  holes. 
Look  like  fight." 

Tom  started  for  the  place  where  he  knew  Ned 
usually  went  to  fish.  Koku  and  Mr.  Damon  fol- 
lowed. On  reaching  it  our  hero  saw  indeed  that 
the  ground  was  "full  of  holes,"  as  the  giant  de- 
scribed the  indentations  made  by  the  heels  of 
boots  and  shoes. 

"There's  been  a  fight  here!"  cried  Tom. 

"Yes,  and  Ned  is  missing,"  added  Mr.  Damon. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

THE  NIGHT  RACE 

THE  three  looked  at  each  other.  For  a  moment 
they  could  not  understand,  and  then,  as  they  stood 
there,  the  meaning  came  to  them. 

"The  smugglers!"  whispered  Tom. 

"Of  course?"  agreed  Mr.  Damon.  "And  they 
must  have  taken  him  for  you,  Tom,  for  he  had  on 
your  coat  and  cap.  What  can  they  have  done  with 
him?" 

"Taken  him  away,  that's  evident,"  spoke  Tom. 
"Let's  look  around,  and  see  if  we  can  find  him." 

They  looked,  but  to  no  purpose.  Ned  had  dis- 
appeared. There  were  the  signs  of  a  struggle,  the 
fish  rod  was  broken  in  several  places,  as  if  Ned 
had  used  it  as  a  club,  and  the  ground  was  torn  up. 

"Bless  my  tin  whistle!"  cried  Mr.  Damon. 
"What  shall  we  do?" 

'  For  a  moment  no  one  knew  what  to  say,  then, 
as  they  looked  at  each  other  in  silence,  a  voice 
called : 

"I  say!  What's  up?  What's  the  matter? 
Where  are  you  all?  Hey,  Tom  Swift!" 

196 


JTHE  NIGHT  RACE 


197 


"It's  Mr.  Whitford !"  cried  Tom.  "He's  just  in 
time."  Then  he  called  in  louder  tones: 

"Here  we  are!  In  the  woods  by  the  trout 
brook!  Come  on  over!  Ned  is  gone!" 

There  was  a  commotion  in  the  bushes,  the 
trampling  of  a  horse,  and  a  moment  later  the  gov- 
ernment agent  had  joined  the  others. 

"What's  this?"  he  cried.  "Ned  gone?  What 
do  you  mean?" 

"He's  missing.  The  smugglers  have  him,  I'm 
afraid,"  explained  Tom,  and  then  he  gave  the  de- 
tails. 

"It  certainly  looks  so,"  agreed  Mr.  Whitford. 
"His  wearing  of  your  coat  and  cap  fooled  them. 
They  must  have  spied  out  this  camping  place,  and 
they  were  in  hiding.  When  they  saw  Ned  coming 
to  fish  they  took  him  for  you.  Having  failed  in 
their  attempt  to  damage  the  airship,  they  decided 
to  get  her  captain.  Probably  they  thought  that  if 
they  did  the  Falcon  could  not  be  run,  and  they 
Would  be  safe.  But  they  got  the  wrong  man." 

"Then  we  must  get  Ned  back  at  once!"  cried 
Tom.  "Come  on,  we'll  start  right  away!  Where 
do  you  think  we  can  nab  them,  Mr.  Whitford?" 

"Wait  a  minute,"  suggested  the  government 
agent.  He  seemed  in  deep  thought,  and  paced  up 
and  down.  It  was  clear  that  a  great  question  was 
confronting  him. 


198    TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

"Well!"  exclaimed  Tom  impatiently,  "if  we're 
going  to  get  Ned  we  must  start  at  once." 

"Perhaps  it  would  be  best  not  to  try  to  rescue 
Ned  at  once,"  said  the  custom  house  man  after  a 
pause. 

"What!"  cried  Tom.  "Not  rescue  Ned,  my 
best  chum?" 

"Not  at  once,"  repeated  Mr.  Whitford.  "Look 
here,  Tom.  I  know  it  seems  a  hard  thing  to  say, 
but  perhaps  if  we  proceed  on  our  original  plan,  to 
hover  over  the  border,  and  get  on  the  trail  of  the 
smugglers,  chasing  them  to  where  they  land  the 
goods  in  the  United  States,  it  will  be  best." 

"And  not  rescue  Ned?" 

"We  can  best  rescue  him  by  catching  the  smug- 
glers." 

"Then  you  think " 

"That  they  have  him  with  them — on  board  one 
of  their  airships  very  likely.  If  we  get  them  we'll 
have  Ned." 

"Then  we'll  get  'em!"  cried  Tom  with  energy. 
"Come  on  back  to  the  Falcon.  We'll  get  ready 
for  a  big  fight!" 

"Yes,  I  think  they'll  make  a  desperate  effort 
to-night,"  went  on  the  agent.  "They  have  a  lot 
of  goods  ready  to  rush  over  the  border,  and  the 
fact  that  they  tried  to  capture  you,  shows  that. 


THE  NIGHT  RACE  199 

they  are  ready  to  pull  off  a  big  trick.  I  think  if 
we  can  catch  them  to-night,  it  will  put  an  end  to 
their  operations,  and,  at  the  same  time,  bring  Ned 
back  to  us." 

"Where  do  you  think  they  will  start  to  cross  the 
line?  "asked  Tom. 

"Near  the  place  where  we  saw  the  man  waving 
the  flags.  I  have  information  to  the  effect  that 
they  have  a  store  of  valuable  goods  there.  They 
imagine  that  they  have  the  master  of  the  airship, 
and  the  owner  of  the  great  searchlight  in  their 
power,  and  that  they  can  not  be  molested,  so  they 
will  be  bold." 

"But  they'll  soon  find  out  that  Ned  isn't  Tom," 
said  Mr.  Damon. 

"No  they  won't!  Not  if  it  depends  on  Ned!" 
cried  Tom.  "Ned  is  game.  He'll  soon  get  wise 
to  the  fact  that  they  have  taken  him  for  me,  and 
he'll  carry  on  the  deception.  None  of  the  smug- 
glers know  me  intimately." 

"Unless  Andy  Foger  should  be  with  them," 
suggested  Mr.  Damon. 

"Oh,  Ned  can  fool  Andy  any  day.  Come  on, 
Mr.  Whitford.  We'll  get  the  smugglers  to-night, 
spoil  their  game,  and  rescue  Ned.  Somehow,  I 
feel  that  we're  going  to  succeed. " 

"Bless  my  tin  dishpan!"  cried  Mr.  Damon.  "I 
hope  we  do." 


^200  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

Slowly,  and  with  no  very  cheerful  hearts,  they 
filed  away  from  the  scene  of  Ned's  capture.  In 
spite  of  the  fact  that  they  did  not  think  he  would 
be  harshly  treated,  they  worried  about  him,  Tom 
especially. 

A  hasty  supper  was  eaten,  and  then,  Tom,  hav* 
ing  seen  that  everything  aboard  the  ship  was  in 
good  order,  sent  her  aloft  on  what  he  hoped  would 
be  the  last  chase  after  the  smugglers.  He  decided 
to  have  Mr.  Damon  steer  the  craft,  as  this  was 
comparatively  easy,  once  she  was  started  on  her 
course,  while  the  young  inventor  would  manage 
the  searchlight,  and  start  the  automatic  wizard 
camera,  in  case  there  was  anything  to  photograph. 

Up  and  up  went  the  Falcon,  and  soon  she  was 
making  her  way  toward  the  St.  Regis  Indian  res- 
ervation, near  which  it  was  expected  the  smug- 
glers would  start.  Tom  put  out  every  light,  as  he 
wanted  to  remain  in  darkness,  until  he  could  see 
a  moving  glow  in  the  sky  that  would  tell  him  of  a 
rival  airship  on  the  wing. 

It  did  not  take  them  long  to  reach  the  desired 
spot,  and  they  hovered  in  the  air  over  it,  every 
one  with  tense  nerves,  waiting  for  what  would 
happen  next. 

Tom  did  not  want  to  show  his  searchlight  just 
yet,  as  he  feared  the  gleam  of  it  might  stop  the  op- 
erations of  the  smugglers.  So  he  waited  in  dark- 


THE  NIGHT  RACE  2OE 

ness,  approaching  close  to  the  earth  in  his  noise- 
less ship  several  times,  and  endeavoring  to  see 
something  through  the  powerful  night  glasses. 

Suddenly,  from  below  them,  came  a  subdued 
throb  and  hum  of  a  motor. 

"There  they  are!"  exclaimed  Mr.  Damon. 

"I  think  so,"  agreed  Tom.  He  looked  below. 
He  saw  two  flickering  lights,  rather  far  apart.  Mr. 
Whit  ford  observed  them  at  the  same  moment. 

"There  are  two  of  them!"  exclaimed  the  agent, 
"Two  airships,  Tom!" 

"So  I  see.  Koku  get  out  my  electric  rifle.  We 
can't  chase  two,  if  they  separate,  so  I  may  have 
to  stop  one.  It's  best  to  be  prepared.  I'm  going 
to  follow  them  in  the  dark,  until  they  get  over  the 
border,  and  then  I'll  turn  on  the  light  and  the 
camera.  Then  it  will  be  a  race  to  the  finish." 

The  twin  lights  came  nearer.  Tom  stood  with 
his  mouth  to  the  signal  tube  that  communicated 
with  Mr.  Damon  in  the  pilot  house.  From  a  side 
window  he  watched  the  smugglers'  airships.  They 
shot  upward  and  then  came  on  straight  ahead,  to 
pass  to  one  side  of  him.  Now  they  were  past 
Tom  started  the  wizard  camera. 

"Half  speed  ahead!"  the  young  inventor  sig- 
nalled, and  the  Falcon  shot  forward.  The  night 
race  was  on. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

THE  CAPTURE CONCLUSION 

"Do  You  think  they  know  we  are  here,  Tom?" 
asked  Mr.  Whitford,  as  he  stood  at  the  side  of  the 
young  inventor  in  the  motor  room. 

"I  don't  believe  so,  as  yet.  They  can't  hear  us, 
and,  unless  they  have  pretty  powerful  glasses, 
they  can't  pick  us  up.  We  can  soon  tell  how- 
ever, if  they  are  aware  that  we  are  following 
them." 

"Have  you  made  any  plan  about  capturing 
them?" 

"No,  I'm  going  to  wait  and  see  what  turns  up. 
I  can't  certainly  chase  two  of  them,  if  they  sep- 
arate, and  that's  why  I'm  going  to  cripple  one  if 
I  have  to." 

"But  won't  that  be  dangerous?  I  don't  want 
to  see  any  of  them  killed,  or  even  hurt,  though 
they  are  smugglers." 

"And  I  don't  want  to  hurt  them,  either.  If 
worst  comes  to  worst  I'm  going  to  put  a  few  holes 
in  the  wing  planes  of  the  smaller  craft.  That  will 

202 


THE  CAPTURE— CONCLUSION  203 

cause  her  to  lose  headway,  and  she  can't  keep  up. 
They'll  have  to  volplane  to  earth,  but,  if  they 
know  anything  at  all  about  airships,  they  can  do 
that  easily,  and  not  get  a  bit  hurt.  That  will  put 
them  out  of  the  race,  and  I  can  keep  on  after  th* 
big  ship.  I  fancy  that  carries  the  more  valuable 
cargo." 

"I  presume  so.  Well,  don't  bring  the  one  to 
earth  until  you  get  over  Uncle  Sam's  territory, 
and  then  maybe  there  will  be  a  chance  to  capture 
them,  and  the  goods  too." 

"I  will,"  promised  Tom.  They  were  still  over 
Canadian  territory,  but  were  rapidly  approach- 
ing the  border. 

"I  think  I  will  send  a  wireless  to  my  men  in 
Logansville,  to  start  out  and  try  to  pick  up  the 
crippled  airship  after  you  disable  her,"  decided 
Mr.  Whit  ford,  and  as  Tom  agreed  that  this  was 
a  good  plan,  the  wireless  was  soon  cracking  away, 
the  government  agent  being  an  adept  in  its  use. 

"I've  told  them  we'd  give  another  signal  to  tell 
them,  as  nearly  as  possible  where  we  made  them 
take  to  earth"  he  said  to  Tom,  and  the  young  in- 
ventor nodded  in  agreement. 

"Ned  in  them  ship?"  asked  Koku,  as  he  came 
back  from  the  pilot  house  to  report  that  Mr.  Da- 
man was  all  right,  and  needed  no  help. 

"Yes,  I  think  Ned  is  in  one  of  them,"  said  Toni 


204 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 


"The  big  one  most  likely.  Poor  Ned  a  prisoner! 
Well,  I'll  soon  have  him  away  from  them — if 
nothing  happens,"  and  Tom  looked  about  the 
motor  room,  to  make  sure  that  every  piece  of 
apparatus  was  working  perfectly. 

The  two  airships  of  the  smugglers  were  hang* 
ing  close  together,  and  it  was  evident  that  the 
larger  one  had  to  make  her  pace  slow,  so  as  not 
to  get  ahead  of  the  small  craft.  Tom  followed 
on  relentlessly,  not  using  half  his  speed,  but  creep- 
ing on  silently  in  the  darkness. 

"We're  over  the  United  States  now,"  said  Mr. 
Whitford,  after  a  glance  earthward  through  the 
binoculars.  "Let  'em  get  a  little  farther  over  the 
line  before  you  pop  'em  with  your  electric  rifle, 
Tom." 

Our  hero  nodded,  and  looked  out  of  a  side  win- 
dow to  note  the  progress  of  the  smugglers.  For 
several  miles  the  chase  was  thus  kept  up,  and  then, 
suddenly  the  smaller  craft  was  seen  to  swerve  to 
one  side. 

"They  are  separating!"  cried  Mr.  Whitford,  at 
the  same  time  Mr.  Damon  called  through  the  tube 
from  the  pilot  house: 

"Which  one  shall  I  follow,  Tom?" 

"The  big  one,"  the  youth  answered.  "I'll  take 
care  of  the  other!"  With  a  quick  motion  he 
flashed  the  current  into  the  great  searchlight,  and, 


THE  CAPTURE— CONCLUSION 


205 


calling  to  Mr.  Whitford  to  hold  it  so  that  the 
beams  played  on  the  small  aeroplane,  Tom  leveled 
his  wonderful  electric  rifle  at  the  big  stretch  of 
canvas.  He  pressed  the  lever,  a  streak  of  blue 
flame  shot  out  through  an  opened  port,  and,  an 
instant  later,  the  small  craft  of  the  smugglers  was 
seen  to  stagger  about,  dipping  to  one  side. 

"There  they  come!"  cried  Mr.  Whitford. 
"They're  done  for!" 

"One  shot  more,"  said  Tom  grimly.  "It  won't 
hurt  'em!" 

Again  the  deadly  electric  rifle  sent  out  its  wire- 
less charge,  and  the  airship  slowly  fluttered  to- 
ward the  earth. 

"They're  volplaning  down!"  cried  Tom. 
"That's  the  end  of  them.  Now  to  catch  the 
other!" 

"Take  the  lantern !"  cried  Mr.  Whitford.  "I'm 
going  to  send  a  wireless  to  my  men  to  get  after 
this  disabled  craft." 

Tom  swung  the  beam  of  the  searchlight  for- 
ward and  a  moment  later  had  picked  up  the  big 
aeroplane.  It  was  some  distance  in  advance,  and 
going  like  the  wind.  He  heard  the  automatic  cam- 
era clicking  away. 

"They  speeded  her  up  as  soon  as  they  saw  what 
was  on!"  cried  Tom.  "But  we  haven't  begun  to 
go  yet!" 


206  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

He  signalled  to  Mr.  Damon,  who  pulled  over 
the  accelerating  lever  and  instantly  the  Falcon  re- 
sponded. Now  indeed  the  race  was  on  in  earnest. 
The  smugglers  must  have  understood  this,  for 
they  tried  all  their  tactics  to  throw  the  pursuing 
airship  off  the  track.  They  dodged  and  twisted, 
now  going  up,  and  now  going  down,  and  even 
trying  to  turn  back,  but  Tom  headed  them  off. 
Ever  the  great  beam  of  light  shone  'relentlessly 
on  them,  like  some  avenging  eye.  They  could  not 
escape. 

"Are  we  gaining?"  cried  Mr.  Whitford. 

"A  little,  and  slowly,"  answered  Tom.  "They 
have  a  bigger  load  on  than  when  we  chased  them 
before,  but  still  they  have  a  speed  almost  equal  to 
ours.  They  must  have  a  magnificent  motor." 

Faster  and  faster  sped  on  the  Falcon.  The 
other  craft  kept  ahead  of  her,  however,  though 
Tom  could  see  that,  inch  by  inch,  he  was  over- 
hauling her. 

"Where  do  they  seem  to  be  heading  for?" 
asked  the  government  agent. 

"Shopton,  as  near  as  I  can  make  out,"  replied 
the  youth.  "They  probably  want  to  get  there 
ahead  of  us,  and  hide  the  goods.  I  must  prevent 
that.  Mr.  Damon  is  steering  better  than  he  ever 
did  before." 

Tom  shifted  the  light  to  keep  track  of  the 


THE  CAPTURE—  CONCLUSION 


smugglers,  who  had  dipped  downward  on  a  steep 
slant.  Then  they  shot  upward,  but  the  Falcon 
was  after  them. 

The  hours  of  the  night  passed.  The  chase  was 
kept  up.  Try  as  the  smugglers  did,  they  could 
not  shake  Tom  off.  Nearer  and  nearer  he  crept. 
There  was  the  gray  dawn  of  morning  in  the  sky, 
and  Tom  knew,  from  the  great  speed  they  had 
traveled  that  they  must  be  near  Shopton. 

"They're  slowing  up,  Tom!"  suddenly  cried 
Mr.  Whitford  who  was  watching  them  through  an 
open  port. 

"Yes,  I  guess  they  must  have  heated  some  of 
their  bearings.  Well,  here's  where  I  capture 
them,  if  it's  ever  to  be.  Koku,  let  down  the  grap- 
pling anchor." 

"Are  you  really  going  to  capture  them,  Tom?" 
asked  the  custom  officer. 

"I'm  going  to  try,"  was  the  answer,  as  Koku 
came  back  to  say  that  the  anchor  was  dragging 
over  the  stern  by  a  long  rope. 

"You  work  the  light,  Mr.  Whitford,"  cried 
Tom.  "I'm  going  to  relieve  Mr.  Damon  in  the 
pilot  house.  He  can  help  you  here.  It  will  be  all 
over  in  another  minute." 

In  the  pilot  house  Tom  grasped  the  steering 
levers.  Then  in  a  final  burst  of  speed  he  sent  his 
craft  above,  and  past  that  of  the  smugglers. 


2o8  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT. 

Suddenly  he  felt  a  shock.  It  was  the  grappling 
'anchor  catching  in  the  rail  of  the  other  air  craft 
A  shout  of  dismay  arose  from  the  smugglers. 

"You've  got  'em!  You've  got  'em,  Tom!" 
yelled  Mr.  Whitford. 

"Bless  my  hasty  pudding!  So  he  has  I"  gasped 
Mr.  Damon. 

Changing  the  course  of  his  craft  Tom  sent  the 
Falcon  toward  the  earth,  pulling  the  other  aero- 
plane with  him.  Down  and  down  he  went,  and 
the  frantic  efforts  of  the  smugglers  to  release 
themselves  were  useless.  They  were  pulled  along 
by  the  powerful  airship  of  our  hero. 

A  few  minutes  later  Tom  picked  out  a  good 
landing  place  in  the  dim  light  of  the  breaking 
dawn,  and  went  to  earth.  Jamming  on  the  brakes 
he  leaped  from  the  pilot  house  to  the  stern  of  his 
own  craft,  catching  up  his  electric  rifle.  The  other 
airship,  caught  by  the  grappling  anchor  at  the 
end  of  a  long  rope,  was  just  settling  down,  those 
in  her  having  the  good  sense  to  shut  off  their 
power,  and  volplane  when  they  found  that  they, 
could  not  escape. 

i  As  the  smugglers'  craft  touched  the  earth,  sev- 
eral figures  leaped  from  her,  and  started  to  run 
away. 

"Hold  on!"  cried  Tom.  "I've  got  you  all 
covered  with  the  jelectric  rifle!  Don't  move! 


THE  CAPTURE-CONCLUSION 


209 


Kolcu,  you,  and  Mr.  Whitford  and  Mr.  Damon 
take  care  of  them.  Tie  'em  up." 

"Bless  my  hat  band!"  cried  the  eccentric  man. 
"What  a  great  capture !  Where  are  we  ?" 

"Not  far  from  Shopton,"  answered  Tom.  "But 
look  after  the  prisoners." 

There  was  a  cry  of  astonishment  from  Mr. 
Whitford  as  he  reached  the  sullen  occupants  of 
the  smugglers'  craft. 

"Here  are  the  Fogers — father  and  son!"  the 
agent  called  to  Tom.  "They  were  in  it  after  all. 
Great  Scott!  What  a  surprise.  And  here  are  a 
lot  of  men  whom  I've  been  after  for  some  time! 
Oh,  Tom  Swift,  this  is  a  capture." 

"What  right  have  you  to  use  these  high-handed 
methods  on  us?"  demanded  Mr.  Foger  pompously. 

"Yes,  dad  make  'em  let  us  go;  we  haven't  done 
anything!"  snarled  Andy. 

"I  guess  you  won't  go  yet  a  while,"  said  the 
agent.  "I'll  have  a  look  inside  this  craft.  Keep 
'em  covered,  Tom." 

"I  will.  I  guess  Andy  knows  what  this  rifle 
can  do.  See  if  Ned  is  a  prisoner." 

There  was  a  few  moments  of  waiting  during 
which  Koku  and  Mr.  Damon  securely  bound  the 
prisoners.  Then  Mr.  Whitford  reappeared.  He 
was  accompanied  by  some  one. 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

"Hello,  Tom !"  called  the  latter.  "I'm  all  right 
Much  obliged  for  the  rescue." 

"Are  you  all  right,  Ned?"  asked  Tom,  of  his 
chum. 

"Yes,  except  that  they  kept  me  gagged.  The 
men  who  captured  me  took  me  for  you,  and,  after 
the  Fogers  found  out  the  mistake,  they  decided  to 
keep  me  anyhow.  Say,  you've  made  a  great  haul." 

And  so  it  proved,  for  in  the  airship  was  a 
quantity  of  valuable  silks  and  laces,  while  on  the 
persons  of  the  smugglers,  including  Mr.  Foger, 
were  several  packets  of  diamonds.  These  were 
taken  possession  of  by  Mr.  Whitford,  who  also 
confiscated  the  bales  and  packages. 

Ned  was  soon  aboard  the  Falcon,  while  the 
prisoners,  securely  tied  were  laid  in  the  cabin  of 
their  own  craft  with  Koku  to  stand  guard  over 
them.  Mr.  Damon  went  to  Shopton,  which  was 
the  nearest  town,  for  police  aid,  and  soon  the 
smugglers  were  safe  in  jail,  though  Mr.  Foger 
protested  vigorously  against  going. 

Ned  explained  how  he  had  been  pounced  upon 
by  two  men  when  he  was  fishing,  and  told  how 
without  a  chance  to  warn  his  friends,  he  had  been 
gagged  and  bound  and  taken  to  the  headquarters 
of  the  smugglers  in  Canada,  just  over  the  border. 
They  went  by  carriages.  Then  the  Fogers,  who, 
it  seemed,  were  hand  in  glove  with  the  law  viola- 


THE  CAPTURE— CONCLUSION  2 1 1 

tors,  saw  him,  and  identified  him.  The  smugglers 
had  thought  they  were  capturing  Tom. 
'  "It  was  your  coat  and  hat  that  did  it,  Tom," 
explained  Ned.  "I  fought  against  being  taken 
away,  but  when  I  happened  to  think  if  they  took 
me  for  you  it  might  be  a  trick  against  them.  And 
it  was.  The  Fogers  didn't  discover  the  mistake 
until  just  before  we  started. 

"They  planned  for  a  big  shipment  of  goods 
last  night  and  used  two  airships.  I  don't  know 
what  became  of  the  other." 

"We've  got  her,  and  the  men,  too,  interposed 
Mr.  Whitford,  as  this  conversation  was  taking 
place  several  hours  later  in  the  Swift  home.  "I 
just  had  a  wire  from  my  deputy.  They  got  right 
after  the  damaged  airship,  and  reached  her  just 
as  the  men  were  hiding  the  goods,  and  preparing 
to  dismantle  the  craft.  We  have  them  all,  thanks 
to  you,  Tom!" 

"And  to  think  that  the  Fogers  were  in  it  all  the 
while!"  remarked  Tom.  "They  certainly  fooled 


us." 


"I'm  not  done  with  them  yet,"  said  Mr.  Whit- 
ford.  "I'm  going  to  have  another  look  at  their 
house,  and  the  gardener's  home." 

"The  Fogers  were  in  dire  straits,  that's  why 
they  went  in  with  the  smugglers,"  explained  Ned 


212  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

"Though  they  gagged  me,  they  didn't  stop  up  my 
ears,  and  when  they  hid  me  in  a  little  room  on  the 
airship,  I  could  hear  them  talking  together.  It 
seems  that  the  smugglers  put  up  the  money  to  buy 
the  airships,  and  just  happened  to  stumble  on 
Andy  to  run  the  machinery  for  them.  His  father 
helped,  too.  They  shared  in  the  proceeds,  and 
they  must  have  made  considerable,  for  the  smuggl- 
ing has  been  going  on  for  some  time. " 

"Well,  they'll  lose  all  they  made,"  declared  the 
agent.  Later  he,  Tom  and  Ned  made  another  in- 
spection of  the  Foger  premises.  Down  in  the 
cellar  of  the  gardener's  house  they  found,  behind 
a  cunningly  concealed  door,  a  tunnel  leading  into 
the  old  mansion.  Later  it  was  learned  that  the 
smugglers  had  been  in  the  habit  of  bringing  goods 
across  the  border  in  airships,  landing  them  in  a 
lonely  stretch  of  woods  outside  of  Shopton,  and 
later  bringing  them  by  wagon  to  the  mansion. 

Inside  there,  in  some  secret  rooms  that  had 
been  constructed  off  of  the  main  apartments,  the 
goods  would  be  unpacked,  put  in  different  boxes, 
carried  through  the  tunnel  to  the  gardener's  house, 
and  thence  shipped  as  "old  furniture"  to  various 
unscrupulous  agents  who  disposed  of  them. 

The  hiring  of  Mr.  Dillon  had  been  only  a  blind. 
Later  the  smugglers,  in  the  guise  of  carpenters, 
made  the  desired  changes.  So  cunningly  had  the 


THE  CAPTURE— CONCLUSION  213 

opening  of  the  tunnel  in  the  cellar  of  the  gar- 
dener's house  been  concealed,  that  it  was  only 
discovered  after  a  most  careful  search. 

There  is  little  more  to  tell.  With  the  capture 
of  the  two  airships,  an  end  was  put  to  the  smug- 
gling operations,  especially  since  nearly  all  the 
gang  was  captured.  A  few,  those  who  brought 
the  goods  up  the  St.  Lawrence,  from  the  ocean 
steamers,  managed  to  escape,  but  they  had  to  go 
into  hiding. 

The  goods  captured  proved  very  valuable,  and 
partly  made  up  to  Uncle  Sam's  treasury  the 
losses  sustained.  Tom  was  offered  a  big  reward, 
but  would  not  take  it,  accepting  only  money  for 
his  expenses,  and  requesting  that  the  reward  be 
divided  among  the  agents  of  Mr.  Whitford's 
staff,  who  needed  it  more  than  Tom  did. 

There  was  no  difficulty  about  convicting  the 
prisoners,  including  the  Fogers,  for  Tom's  wizard 
camera  had  taken  pictures  of  the  chase  and  cap- 
ture, and  the  men  were  easily  identified.  Mr. 
Period  was  quite  delighted  with  the  roll  of  films 
that  Tom  gave  him.  Some  of  the  smugglers  were 
sent  to  prison  for  long  terms,  and  others,  in- 
cluding Andy  and  his  father,  had  to  pay  heavy 
fines. 

"Well,  Tom  Swift,  I  can't  thank  you  enough," 
said  Mr.  Whitford,  one  day  as  he  called  to  pay 


2I4 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 


the  young  inventor  a  visit.  "I'm  ordered  to  the 
Pacific  coast  and  I  may  have  to  send  for  you  with 
your  airship,  and  great  searchlight." 

"I  don't  believe  I'll  come,"  laughed  the  lad. 
"I'm  going  to  take  a  long  rest  and  settle  down." 

"He's  going  to  get  married!"  exclaimed  Ned, 
taking  care  to  get  behind  a  chair. 

"If  Mr.  Tom  marry,  he  keep  Koku  for  ser- 
vant? "  asked  the  giant  anxiously. 

"Oh,  I'm  not  going  to  get  married,  just  yet, 
Koku ! "  exclaimed  Tom,  who  was  blushing  furi- 
ously. "I'm  going  to  invent  something  new." 

"Bless  my  fountain  pen!"  cried  Mr.  Damon, 

"Oh,  Tom,  it  seems  good  to  have  you  home 
again,"  said  aged  Mr.  Swift  softly. 

"Dat's  what  it  do!"  added  Eradicate.  "Boon> 
erang  hab  been  monstrous  lonely  sence  yo'-all 
been  gone,  Massa  Tom." 

"Well,  I'm  going  to  stay  home — for  a  while," 
said  Tom.  And  thus,  surrounded  as  he  is  by  his 
friends  and  relatives,  we  will  take  leave  of  Tom 
Swift 


THE  END 


THE    TOM     SWIFT    SERIES 

By  VICTOR  APPLETON 
Author  of  "  The  Don  Sturdy  Series." 

Tom  Swift,  known  to  millions  of  boys  of  this  generation,  is 
a  bright  ingenious  youth  whose  inventions,  discoveries  and 
thrilling  adventures  are  described  in  these  spirited  tales 
that  teU  of  the  wonderful  advances  in  modern  science. 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  MOTOR  CYCLE 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  MOTOR  BOAT 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  AIRSHIP 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  WIRELESS  MESSAGE 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  ELECTRIC  RUNABOUT 

TOM  SWIFT  AMONG  THE  DIAMOND  MAKERS 

TOM  SWIFT  IN  THE  CAVES  OF  ICE 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SKY  RACER 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  ELECTRIC  RIFLE 

TOM  SWIFT  IN  THE  CITY  OP  GOLD 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  AIR  GLIDER 

TOM  SWIFT  IN  CAPTIVITY 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  WIZARD  CAMERA 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GIANT  CANNON 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  PHOTO  TELEPHONE 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  AERIAL  WARSHIP 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  BIG  TUNNEL 

TOM  SWIFT  IN  THE  LAND  OF  WONDERS 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  WAR  TANK 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  AIR  SCOUT 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  UNDERSEA  SEARCH 

TOM  SWIFT  AMONG  THE  FIRE  FIGHTERS 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  ELECTRIC  LOCOMOTIVE 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  FYLING  BOAT 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  OIL  GUSHER 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  CHEST  OF  SECRETS 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  AIRLINE  EXPRESS 

TOM  SWIFT  CIRCLING  THE  GLOBE 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  TALKING  PICTURES 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  HOUSE  ON  WHEELS 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  BIG  DIRIGIBLE 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SKY  TRAIN 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GIANT  MAGNET 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  TELEVISION  DETECTOR 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,      PUBLISHERS,      NEW  YORK 


THE  DON  STURDY  SERIES' 

By  VICTOR  APPLETON 
Author  of  "The  Tom  Swift  Series" 

i  Every  red-blooded  boy  will  enjoy  the  thrilling  adventures  I 
of  Don  Sturdy.  In  company  with  his  uncles,  one  a  big 
game  hunter,  the  other  a  noted  scientist,  he  travels  far  and 
wide — into  the  jungles  of  South  America,  across  the  Sahara, 
deep  into  the  African  jungle,  up  where  the  Alaskan  volca- 
noes spout,  down  among  the  head  hunters  of  Borneo  and 
many  other  places  where  there  is  danger  and  excitement. 
Every  boy  who  has  known  Tom  Swift  will  at  once  become 
the  boon  companion  of  daring  Don  Sturdy. 

DON  STURDY  ON  THE  DESERT  OF  MYSTERY 
DON  STURDY  WITH  THE  BIG  SNAKE  HUNTERS 
DON  STURDY  IN  THE  TOMBS  OF  GOLD 
DON  STURDY  ACROSS  THE  NORTH  POLE 
DON  STURDY  IN  THE  LAND  OF  VOLCANOES 
DON  STURDY  IN  THE  PORT  OF  LOST  SHIPS 
DON  STURDY  AMONG  THE  GORILLAS 
DON  STURDY  CAPTURED  BY  HEAD  HUNTERS 
DON  STURDY  IN  LION  LAND 
DON  STURDY  IN  THE  LAND  OF  GIANTS 
DON  STURDY  ON  THE  OCEAN  BOTTOM 
DON  STURDY  IN  THE  TEMPLES  OF  FEAR 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,    PUBLISHERS,   NEW  YORK 


WESTERN  STORIES  FOR  BOYS 

By  JAMES  CODY  FERRIS 

Each  Volume  Complete  in  Itself. 

Thrilling  tales  of  the  great  west,  told  primarily  for  boys 
but  which  will  be  read  by  all  who  love  mystery,  rapid 
action,  and  adventures  in  the  great  open  spaces. 

The  Manly  boys,  Roy  and  Teddy,  are  the  sons  of  an  old 
ranchman,  the  owner  of  many  thousands  of  heads  of  cattle. 
The  lads  know  how  to  ride,  how  to  shoot,  and  how  to 
take  care  of  themselves  under  any  and  all  circumstances. 

The  cowboys  of  the  X  Bar  X  Ranch  are  real  cowboys, 
on  the  job  when  required,  but  full  of  fun  and  daring — a 
bunch  any  reader  will  be  delighted  to  know. 

THE  X  BAR  X  BOYS  ON  THE  RANCH 
THE  X  BAR  X  BOYS  IN  THUNDER  CANYON 
THE  X  BAR  X  BOYS  ON  WHIRLPOOL  RIVER 
THE  X  BAR  X  BOYS  ON  BIG  BISON  TRAIL 
THE  X  BAR  X  BOYS  AT  THE  ROUND-UP 
THE  X  BAR  X  BOYS  AT  NUGGET  CAMP 
THE  X  BAR  X  BOYS  AT  RUSTLER'S  GAP 
THE  X  BAR  X  BOYS  AT  GRIZZLY  PASS 
THE  X  BAR  X  BOYS  LOST  IN  THE  ROCKIES 
THE  X  BAR  X  BOYS  RIDING  FOR  LIFE 
THE  X  BAR  X  BOYS  IN  SMOKY  VALLEY 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,    Publishers,    NEW  YORK 


THE  HARDY  BOYS  SERIES 

By  FRANKLIN  W.  DIXON 
Illustrated.    Every  Volume  Complete  in  Itself 

The  Hardy  Boys  are  sons  of  a  celebrated  American 
detective,  and  during  vacations  and  their  off  time  from 
school  they  help  their  father  by  hunting  down  clues  them- 
selves. 

THE  TOWER  TREASURE— A'dying  criminal  confessed  that 
his  loot  had  been  secreted  "  in  the  tower."  It  remained  for  the 
Hardy  Boys  to  clear  up  the  mystery. 

THE  HOUSE  ON  THE  CLIFF— Mr.  Hardy  started  to  invest- 
igate — and  disappeared !  An  odd  tale,  with  plenty  of  excitement. 

THE  SECRET  OF  THE  OLD  MILL— Counterfeit  money  was 
in  circulation,  and  the  limit  was  reached  when  Mrs.  Hardy  took 
some  from  a  stranger.  A  tale  full  of  thrills. 

THE  MISSING  CHUMS— Two  of  the  Hardy  Boys'  chums 
disappear  and  are  almost  rescued  by  their  friends  when  all  are 
captured.  A  thrilling  story  of  adventure. 

HUNTING  FOR  HIDDEN  GOLD— In  tracing  some  stolen 
gold  the  trail  leads  the  boys  to  an  abandoned  mine,  and  there 
things  start  to  happen. 

THE  SHORE  ROAD  MYSTERY— Automobiles  were  disap- 
pearing most  mysteriously  from  the  Shore  Road.  It  remained  for 
the  Hardy  Boys  to  solve  the  mystery. 

THE  SECRET  OF  THE  CAVES— When  the  boys  reached 
the  caves  they  came  unexpectedly  upon  a  queer  old  hermit. 

THE  MYSTERY  OF  CABIN  ISLAND— A  story  of  queer 
adventures  on  a  rockbound  island. 

THE  GREAT  AIRPORT  MYSTERY— The  Hardy  Boys  solve 
the  mystery  of  the  disappearance  of  some  valuable  mail. 

WHAT  HAPPENED  AT  MIDNIGHT— The  boys  follow  a 
trail  that  ends  in  a  strange  and  exciting  situation. 

WHILE  THE  CLOCK  TICKED— The  Hardy  Boys  aid  in  vin- 
dicating a  man  who  has  been  wrongly  accused  of  a  crime. 

FOOTPRINTS  UNDER  THE  WINDOW— The  Smuggling 
of  Chinese  into  this  country  is  the  basis  of  this  story  in  which  the 
boys  find  thrills  and  excitement  aplenty. 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,  Publishers,  NEW  YORK 


TED  SCOTT  FLYING  STORIES 

By  FRANKLIN  W.  DIXON 

Illustrated.     Each  Volume  Complete  in  lUelf. 

No  subject  has  so  thoroughly  caught  the  imagination  of 
young  America  as  aviation.  This  series  has  been  inspired 
by  recent  daring  feats  of  the  air,  and  is  dedicated  to 
Lindbergh,  Byrd,  Chamberlin  and  other  heroes  of  the  skies. 

OVER  THE  OCEAN  TO  PARIS; 

or,  Ted  Scott's  Daring  Long  Distance  Flight. 

RESCUED  IN  THE  CLOUDS; 

or,  Ted  Scott,  Hero  of  the  Air. 

OVER  THE  ROCKIES  WITH  THE  AIR  MAIL; 

or,  Ted  Scott  Lost  in  the  Wilderness. 

FIRST  STOP  HONOLULU; 

or,  Ted  Scott  Over  the  Pacific. 

THE  SEARCH  FOR  THE  LOST  FLYERS; 

or,  Ted  Scott  Over  the  West  Indies. 

SOUTH  OF  THE  RIO  GRANDE; 

or,  Ted  Scott  On  a  Secret  Mission. 

ACROSS  THE  PACIFIC; 

or,  Ted  Scott's  Hop  to  Australia. 

THE  LONE  EAGLE  OF  THE  BORDER; 

or,  Ted  Scott  and  the  Diamond  Smugglers. 

FLYING  AGAINST  TIME; 

or,  Breaking  the  Ocean  to  Ocean  Record. 

OVER  THE  JUNGLE  TRAILS ; 

or,  Ted  Scott  and  the  Missing  Explorers. 

LOST  AT  THE  SOUTH  POLE; 

orl  Ted  Scott  in  Blizzard  Land. 

THROUGH  THE  AIR  TO  ALASKA; 

or,  Ted  Scott's  Search  in  Nugget  Valley. 

FLYING  TO  THE  RESCUE; 

or,  Ted  Scott  and  the  Big  Dirigible. 

DANGER  TRAILS  OF  THE  SKY; 

or,  Ted  Scott's  Great  Mountain  Climb. 

FOLLOWING  THE  SUN  SHADOW; 

or,  Ted  Scott  and  the  Great  Eclipse. 

BATTLING  THE  WIND; 

or,  Ted  Scott  Flying  Around  Cape  Horn. 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,  PUBLISHERS,  NEW  YORK 


THE  REX  LEE  FLYING  STORIES 

By  THOMSON  BURTIS 

Illustrated.     Every  Volume  Complete  in  Itself. 

The  author  of  this  series  of  exciting  flying  stories 
is  an  experienced  aviator.  He  says,  "  During  my  five 
years  in  the  army  I  performed  nearly  every  sort  of 
flying  duty — instructor,  test  pilot,  bombing,  photo- 
graphing pilot,  etc.,  in  every  variety  of  ship,  from  tiny 
scout  planes  to  the  gigantic  three-motored  Italian 
Caproni." 

Not  only  has  this  author  had  many  experiences  as 
a  flyer ;  a  list  of  his  activities  while  knocking  around 
the  country  includes  postal  clerk,  hobo,  actor,  writer, 
mutton  chop  salesman,  preacher,  roughneck  in  the  oil 
fields,  newspaper  man,  flyer,  scenario  writer  in  Holly- 
wood and  synthetic  clown  with  the  Sells  Floto  Circus. 
Having  lived  an  active,  daring  life,  and  possessing  a 
gift  for  good  story  telling,  he  is  well  qualified  to  write 
these  adventures  of  a  red-blooded  dare-devil  young 
American  who  became  one  of  the  country's  greatest 
flyers. 

REX  LEE;  GYPSY  FLYER 

REX  LEE;  ON  THE  BORDER  PATROL 

REX  LEE;  RANGER  OF  THE  SKY 

REX  LEE;  SKY  TRAILER 

REX  LEE;  ACE  OF  THE  AIR  MAIL 

REX  LEE ;  NIGHT  FLYER 

REX  LEE'S  MYSTERIOUS  FLIGHT 

REX  LEE;  ROUGH  RIDER  OF  THE  AIR 

REX  LEE ;  AERIAL  ACROBAT 

REX  LEE;  TRAILING  AIR  BANDITS 

REX  LEE;  FLYING  DETECTIVE 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,    Publishers,    NEW  YORK 


«'i4 


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